How to Treat Injuries to Reduce Arthritis

According to the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, the best way to treat injuries to avoid arthritis is by keeping the muscles around the joints strong. This will reduce wear and tear on the joint. However, before you can perform any exercises, you need to control the initial inflammation, swelling and pain. This is best achieved through a combination of rest, immobilization, ice, heat, medication and massage.

Things You'll Need

• Brace for joint
• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve)
• Ice
• Ice pack or hand towel
• Heating pad

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Instructions

Treating Your Joint Injury

• 1

  Stop all physical activity and working out immediately. Use a brace for limiting movement in your joint until it is healed.

• 2

  Take 2 ibuprofen or naproxen every 4 to 6 hours throughout the day. Continue to use this anti-inflammatory drug until your inflammation and pain have subsided.

• 3

  Apply an ice pack or towel filled with ice around your joint so that the ice is compressed directly against the source of pain. Leave the ice on your joint for 15 to 20 minutes. Repeat this procedure every 3 to 4 hours until the initial swelling, inflammation and pain have been reduced. Note that you need to apply ice to your joint during the first 48 to 72 hours after the injury. Ice causes vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels), which minimizes swelling and inflammation and the pain they cause by limiting the flow of blood and lymph to the joint.

• 4

  Once the initial inflammation and pain have subsided, apply a heating pad to the affected joint for 15-20 minutes several times per day. Repeat usage until your injury has healed. Also, before and after using a heating pad, massage the muscles and tendons around your joint gently with two fingers for 5 minutes. Heat therapy is important, after your inflammation and pain are under control, because it helps promote blood flow (with healing properties such as oxygen and vitamin C) to your affected joint. Like heat therapy, massage and exercise increase blood flow to an injured area. Massage can limit scar tissue, which is a major cause of recurring injuries. Massage also relaxes nerves and muscles.

• 5

  Perform stretching exercises to keep your joint flexible. Slowly stretch the muscles and tendons of your joint in one direction. Hold that position for 15 seconds, then stretch them in the opposite direction. Hold that position for 15 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times. If the injured joint is one that can move in more than two directions (i.e., wrist), stretch it to each side as well. Repeat all of these exercises at least 3 times or stretch for 5 to 10 minutes per day.