Backache: Some backaches need immediate medical attention, but some are just run-of-the-mill sprains, strains or pulled muscles. For these more typical kinds of problems, try getting off your feet! Your back may just need a rest. During the first two days, use ice packs. After that, switch to a heating pad. And don't lounge too long. In fact, it's best to get out of bed as quickly as possible (in one to two days) unless the pain is severe, in which case you should call your doctor. When you do get out of bed, roll out carefully and slowly. For chronic back pain, especially if the pain varies throughout the day, certain exercises and stretching can be beneficial. Talk to your doctor and health club fitness expert about them.
Bruises: Use an ice pack to treat any injury that might lead to a bruise. Apply the pack as quickly as possible after the injury and keep it on for 24 hours at 15-minute intervals. After 24 hours, you may use heat. Elevation also helps. If you bruise easily, it may be a good idea to add more vitamin C to your diet. According to research done at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC, people who lack sufficient vitamin C tend to bruise more easily, and their wounds heal more slowly.
Knee Pain: The first thing to remember after any activity that causes knee pain is to RICE – rest, ice, compress and elevate – for 20 to 30 minutes. For example, when you return from working out, prop your leg up, wrap an Ace bandage around it (compress) and put an ice pack on for 20 to 30 minutes. Ibuprofen can also help to relieve the pain. If there's any swelling in the area, don't use heat. You can help keep knee pain from becoming chronic by keeping your weight down, strengthening the muscles and ligaments in the area with appropriate exercises, and, if you run, changing to a softer surface. Never buy or use a knee brace without first consulting an orthopedic specialist.
Muscle Pain/Strain: The best way to get your muscles back in comfortable working order is to give them a break. Let pain be your guide. A cramp may require only a few minutes rest, but a severe strain may need a few days or even weeks. Ice is still the best first line of defense against swelling, and it should be used immediately after injury (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off for 24 hours). After the first day of ice, heat can be applied. Ibuprofen and aspirin-based creams also help to reduce pain and inflammation.
Shin Splints: Hard road surfaces, bad posture, poor foot gear, fallen arches, insufficient warm-ups, overtraining, and poor running or walking mechanics can all cause shin splints. Symptoms include pain in the shin of one or both legs during and/or after activity. Aside from working to correct some of the key causes noted above, the best thing you can do is to RICE (rest, ice, compress and elevate) for 20 to 30 minutes.
Athlete's Foot: This is a fungus that affects couch potatoes as well as avid exercisers. The symptoms can come on suddenly and usually include cracked skin, oozing blisters and an on-and-off burning/itching sensation. This common ailment should not be ignored because it can become a more serious infection. Quick fixes include keeping the foot uncovered and at rest, and using cold compresses to ease pain and inflammation (there are nonprescription powders that can be mixed with water to create an effective compress solution). After intense symptoms subside, soak your foot in a mixture of 2 tsp. of salt per pint of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes at a time and follow this with an application of antifungal cream (also available without a prescription) two to three times a day for two to four weeks. Also, remember to remove dead skin. Once the infection has cleared up, you can help keep it from returning by continuing to apply the antifungal cream (less frequently), choosing shoes that “breathe” and changing those shoes often (don't wear the same shoes two days in a row). Be sure to dust the inside of your shoes with antifungal powder regularly and let them air out!
