More or less violent impacts on the musculoskeletal system, which includes muscles, tendons, fascia and joints, represent sprains, contusions and strains. A sprain can only occur at joints. Preferred joints here are the ankle and wrist. Contusions, on the other hand, affect more the soft tissues, the muscles and the often overlying tendinous plates, the fasciae. Strains are suffered only in the muscles and their ends, which are called tendons. Each of the above injuries differs from the others by specific characteristics. Therefore, the behavior and treatment is also different.
Causes of bruises
The support bandage is used as a first aid measure for bruises. Click to enlarge.
So what can you do yourself if you suffer an injury of this type?
Injuries caused by blunt impact, blow or fall, where usually the skin is intact, but the soft tissues between the skin and bones are bruised, are called contusions.
They can extend over a large area. There are smaller, more superficial bruises, but also more severe and deeper ones. The latter can involve injuries to a number of smaller, but also larger blood vessels, which can lead to considerable swelling of the affected area.
In these cases, one always has to deal with so-called hematomas, i.e. bruises. They can extend far beyond the border of the bruised area and are usually soon characterized by a red-blue coloration, which later changes to yellowish-green. On the legs, it is often observed that the bruise descends downward, as footward.
Severe bruises belong in the hands of a doctor or in a hospital after applying a compressing and cooling bandage. However, most bruises are injuries of a less serious nature. After a trauma of the kind described, there is usually first considerable pain, possibly numbness, numbness or paralysis. Afterwards, the onset of deep bruising may cause a feeling of tension, heat and impaired mobility, which may increase later.
Minor bruising sometimes manifests only as bruising and tenderness. Wherever indicated, bruises, because of their late inflammation, should not be taken too lightly. It is important to prevent extensive bruising from developing in the affected areas.
Treatment
The first measure to be considered is always pressure-applying bandaging and sufficient cooling. However, it should not exceed 3 – 4 hours. In most cases, active movements can already be started after 24 – 48 hours. Exercise therapy is useful and less painful if it is performed in a warm tub or swimming pool. From the 3rd day, stretching exercises and light weight-bearing exercises are desirable, for example, climbing stairs, cycling or gymnastics for the legs. The latter can also be done in the water.
One should be very careful with massages in the acute condition. Before the 8th – 10th day, especially strong massages are problematic. Experience has shown with bruises that massive and extensive bruising then tends to cause calcification and ossification in the area of injury. This is a condition known as myositis ossificans and is often irreversible without surgical intervention.
In contrast, moist heat applications, as described in Hot Bath as a Natural Remedy, have been shown to work well. Greater caution is advised with dry heat applications, which include heating pads, light irons, heat lamps, and electrotherapy.
