Injuries commonly treated in the office are related to the straining of muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The first stage of healing an injury, once it has occurred, is known as the reaction phase. This stage can last for up to seven days, depending on the extent of the injury and the healing process. During this time, there will be an increase in circulation in the area surrounding the injury, which leads to swelling, or edema. To limit the degree of damage caused by the injury, we usually recommend a method called RICE, which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

• Rest

  Be sure to rest the area that is injured. Continued activity will cause more damage, increasing the amount of swelling and tearing of cells.

• Ice

  Ice in the form of cold packs will cause local contraction of blood vessels and reduce pain. Use ice for 15 minutes every hour, for four to five hours, immediately after sustaining an injury (never put ice directly on your skin). Then, continue to use ice four to five times a day for the next three days. If you suffer from Raynaud’s (hives from contact with ice), diabetes, or any vascular disease, do not use ice on your injury. Instead, place a cold cloth over the area of the injury and call for additional help.

• Compression

  Wrapping the area of injury with an elastic wrap will reduce the amount of swelling. For example, if you have turned your ankle and it starts to swell, put an ice pack around the ankle and wrap the ankle and lower leg with an elastic bandage.

• Elevation

  If it is possible, raise the injured area above the level of your body. Again, as an example, if the ankle is injured, raise your leg above your pelvis. Or, if the wrist is injured, support your arm above the height of the shoulder. Elevation allows gravity to help remove the swelling.

What happens during an injury?

An injury can cause blood vessels to break, initiating several chain reactions. A clot is formed from proteolytic enzymes released by cells called platelets. The body creates a clot, or mesh, where the vessels have become broken. The lymphatics, the ‘sewer system’ of our vascular system, become blocked with these clots. Pain-causing substances, known as bradykinins, are released due to the injury and cause vasodilation and increased permeability of local arterioles. Other factors are also released locally to breakdown severely damaged tissue and prevent infection.


During this phase, it is important to limit the amount of inflammation. Excessive inflammation can cause increased damage to the injured area. Controlling inflammation and speeding the recovery process requires more than just taking an anti-inflammatory drug. The body uses enzymes to help clear up damaged tissue. A good analogy is a multi-car accident on a large highway. The traffic is backed up for miles on the side of the accident, and on the other side people are looking at the accident. Removing the wrecked car from the road is the first thing that has to be done to re-open the roadway. Enzymes accomplish this in the body, but taking more of the right enzymes can speed up the removal of the damaged tissue and re-establish normal blood flow to and from the injury site.


If you suffer an injury, call the office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment and have the injury examined. Depending on what is found, nutritional supplements which can help speed the healing process may be suggested. Studies have shown that taking such supplements can reduce the time it takes to heal by up to 50%, with similar levels of reduction in pain and swelling.


Remember: The window for starting treatment is very short, and the course of recovery must be started as soon as possible, so don’t delay!

Applied Kinesiology is a diagnostic tool using the muscle structure of the body to aid in the examination of a patient. Its use allows immediate feedback to aid the doctor in making decisions on what type of care the patient needs.


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© Michael Minond.

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