WINTER SPORT

Not only skiing may be a danger to joints and muscles during the winter period: snowboarding, jogging or even a simple stroll can all be hazardous at this time of year. Falling, slipping and sliding on snow and ice can cause bruises, breaks, strains and sprains to various parts of the body, most usually the extremities.

Another cause of injury, especially to muscles, is wearing inappropriate clothing and not warming up properly for the weather conditions. Not warming up muscles may cause tears or ruptures to the muscle fibres. Tendons that experience a sudden jerking movement, or ligaments that are over-stretched are characterized by reduced range of motion and often extreme pain.

Pharmacy customer: Hello.
PTA: Hello.

My husband was skiing with his friends at the weekend and I think he injured his knee.
What exactly are his symptoms?

His knee is very warm and swollen. I recommended that he cools it down but he thinks it’s okay if he just rests.
Didn’t anyone tell him about the RICE method?

RICE? Oh, you mean: rest, ice, compression and elevation! I don’t think so. You see he hasn’t been skiing for a very long time. He only went because his best friend thought it would be a good idea. To be honest, I don’t think anyone of the group have been skiing for ages.
I see, yes, it’s not unusual for those types of injury to occur in such situations. So, how bad is the pain?

Well, he won’t admit it but I would say that the pain is quite bad. What do you recommend I do?
Your husband’s first priority is to reduce the swelling as soon as possible by applying these gel packs. The gel packs are really good because they come in a special synthetic fleece material that prevents frostbite. After that he should immediately use compression. This elastic bandage is ideal but it shouldn’t be too tight, make sure that the blood can circulate! For the pain I can recommend diclofenac, which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory.

Do you have any natural remedies that you can recommend?
Certainly. We have comfrey and arnica creams, which are natural anti-inflammatories.

Good! Is there anything else that you can recommend?
As soon as the swelling is reduced, with the help of all these things as well as resting and elevating the knee, he can start applying hyperaemic lotions with essential oils of mountain pine, spruce needles or rosemary.

That sounds good. And if that doesn’t work?
If your husband’s knee doesn’t improve over the next two to three days, he should then go to his GP. And he should definitely go to his GP if he has the slightest suspicion that he has a ligament tear or muscle fibre tear, or a possible meniscus injury. Both conditions need immediate medical treatment.

Okay! I’ll make sure that he does! You know how men are, they hate going to the doctor!
You are right there! So, here are your purchases if there’s anything else you need, please feel free to contact us or just drop by.

Thank you very much. Goodbye.
You’re welcome, bye.

VOCABULARY
exhilarating berauschend
stroll Spaziergang
bruises Blutergüsse, Prellungen
strains Muskelzerrungen
sprains Verstauchungen
tears Risse
ruptures Brüche
muscle fibres Muskelfasern
tendons Sehnen
jerky movement ruckartige Bewegung
ligaments Bänder
elevation Erhöhung
frostbite Erfrierung
elastic bandage elastische Binde
anti-inflammatory entzündungshemmend
comfrey Beinwell, Symphytum officinale
essential oils ätherische Öle
mountain pine Latschenkiefer
spruce needles Fichtennadeln
slightest suspicion geringster Verdacht
treatment Behandlung
purchases Einkäufe

Den vollständigen Artikel finden Sie auch in Die PTA IN DER APOTHEKE 02/11 auf Seite 44.

Catherine Croghan, Lecturer in English and native speaker