Spring is trying so hard to enter the stage here in the UP, but winter just doesn’t seem to want to let go of its grip. Never fear. The current blast of winter weather with snow and cold will soon give way to spring’s warmer weather and new life springing up everywhere we look.
A sure sign of spring is the increase in sales of my Après Ski liniment and salve for those muscle aches and pains as well as comfrey/calendula salve for soft tissue damage. It happens every spring. We’ve been sedate for most of the winter, and now, we’re using muscles that have been resting for about six months. The occasional shoveling and snow blowing of winter does not prepare our bodies for the rapid onset of increased activity that comes with warmer temperatures and spring chores that cry out to be tackled. And with this increased activity comes PAIN! And lots of it! Minor muscle injuries from overexertion occupy most of my time in the early spring with allergies coming in a few weeks!
Injury care is something that we’ve all dealt with since birth. There are bumps and bruises, growing pains, sports injuries and the inevitable “getting older” aches and pains. We are all familiar with the R.I.C.E. protocol for dealing with injuries – Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. This has been the standard for decades.
On the other side of the spectrum, Traditional Chinese Medicine has long treated martial arts injuries with methods that prioritize circulation over restriction. Rather than using ice, TCM practitioners focus on enhancing blood flow around damaged tissues to speed healing and prevent long term complications such as arthritis. This protocol is lovingly referred to as M.E.A.T. which stands for movement, exercise, analgesics and treatment.
We’ve discussed inflammation in the past and we know that chronic inflammation is responsible in some way, for every serious health issue we deal with today. But the focus here is on acute injuries and the inflammation that accompanies them. Inflammation is a critical part of the body’s healing mechanism and the difference in approaches is that while RICE tends to suppress the body’s innate healing abilities, MEAT emphasizes supporting them. So rather than stopping all inflammation, pain is managed with analgesic herbs while circulation in encouraged to support tissue repair..
This is especially helpful for soft tissue injuries like ligaments and tendons. They have limited blood supply, so enhancing, rather than restricting promotes better healing. Enter the topical analgesics and blood-moving herbs like arnica, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, motherwort, red sage and yarrow, that support circulation and the body’s repair processes without suppressing inflammation.
Last year, I was chasing a corgi puppy and tripped off a raised patio, breaking my wrist. I thought it was a bad sprain, so I immediately did all the things I was “supposed” to do, complete rest, ice packs, an ace bandage wrap and elevation to drain excess fluid and reduce swelling. But something just wasn’t right. It didn’t feel right. Even though this was the conventional treatment, my body was screaming for something else. The ice was making the area stiff and immovable. I instinctively wanted to move the joint, so it wouldn’t stiffen up, which was happening because of the resting.
Anyone who knows me knows I’m a rebel at heart, and in spite of my military training, I sometimes chafe against the rules. I got quiet and listened to my body. I got a heating pad and wrapped it around my wrist. Ahhhh, that felt so much better almost immediately! I began doing small movements to the point of pain, but keeping it flexible and stretched. I put on a brace to keep the area immobile, and kept my arm raised, as that felt better than letting it just lie there. Long story short, I had complete movement and flexibility through the entire period, pain was minimal, and I was back to using my hand within 4 short weeks.
As I have furthered my studies into holistic pain protocols, two new ones are emerging. P.E.A.C.E and L.O.V.E. I’m certain some hippies from the 60’s came up with these acronyms, but I digress. PEACE stands for protect, elevate, avoid anti-inflammatories, compress and educate, while LOVE stands for load, optimism, vascularization, exercise.
PEACE is for early injury care. I love that education is a part of this. Explaining the whys to clients helps them buy into the protocol much better when they understand the thought process behind the actions.
LOVE guides the later stages of healing and recovery by encouraging a gradual loading of the area, a positive mindset, promoting blood flow through movement and progressively integrating exercise.
Once again, working WITH the body instead of AGAINST what it’s trying to do will go a long way to getting your body up and running for the coming summer. And if you need a little help, you know where to come! LET’S GET BETTER!
This month I have a brand new Survival Pak for you. Spring has Sprung! It contains a Hay Fever Relief Inhaler, A breathe Easy Diffuser Blend and an Allergy Fighter Room Spray. Don't suffer through another allergy season needlessly! Get yours today and enjoy Spring!
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