Ugly damage / bruises

[SJM9]

Ok, Guys might love the ton of bruise form practices and I don’t mind the odd few either but I have been really practicing and really bruising. There is on scrape on my elbow and another on my face which is really giving me drama. Any advice, other than tissue oil which makes you more slippery and sore.

[stained]

this is going to sound like an ad, but I'm not selling it, so all's well

I use an ointment which does wonders for cuts as long as you don't eat it (in which case your liver starts failing), it's called comfrey ointment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfrey). It's a (light or dark, depending on the person who made it) greenish substance made from the leaf of a comfrey plant.

The only problem is obtaining the ointment as it's for the most part home made. I got my stash from my mom (a retired nurse who had to learn how to make it during her nursing years) and my wife, whom my mom taught to make it .

Ignoring the seriously suspect people trying to sell it, it's worth finding a place to get it (found a dodgy manufacturer who seems to sell a version of it all over the country: http://www.miraclecomfrey.net/agents.html) or learning to make it yourself, which isn't too hard

[Pg_ray]

for bruises on more unsightly places a good dose of arnica oil or ointment will work wonders. for your face, having learnt from experience, there's a wonderful lip balm called DCT (Daily Conditioning Treatment) which helps speed up recovery, moisturises and generally improves the condition of your skin. its wonderful stuff and it really REALLY works, trust me i know.

otherwise i wouldn't worry too much about the bruises. the more you condition and the fitter the quicker bruises you get the quicker you heal and the less likely you are to bruise as badly the next time until bruises are practically a thing of the past. but cheer up gals guys dig scars too!

[NuclearStr1der]

The products mentioned are pretty good, I'll ask my Dad later toady and get back to you (he's a reconstructive / plastic surgeon).

[Red]

Ice is still one of the best things for injuries... doesn't work too well for knife wounds though...

[stained]

nope, the only solution to knife wounds is to stop stabbing people Red..

[mania]

so many nughty bouys posting in here lady i have one word for u Zam-buck...

[Abigail]

but cheer up gals guys dig scars too!

... Umm, no they really don't, I've got _loads_ of experience on that one. Although I just might have the wrong _type_ of scars. Most guys (and girls) just freak out.

Anyways, back on topic. I'm currently trying Vonti tissue oil (smells divine too ^_^ I'm not yet certain how well it works though) and Cuticura and seeing which one works best. And my one friend swears by Zambuck, though she prefers the Zambuck oil. I haven't seen it personally though, and have yet to try it also, first want to check my trial with the Vonti and Cuticura. I don't know about bruises though, the only experience I have is with cuts and scarring resulting from that. And on top of it I've waited a _really_ long time before I actually actively started doing something about it. So yeah, I don't actually know how applicable any of this is on parkour related bruising and the like.

[FliKVloOi]

Taking Zinc and Vit. A tablets helps to reduce scarring and promotes new tissue growth.

[caveman]

Vitamin C oil also works pretty well from what I hear. I have no idea though - I've got too many scars to even start trying to get rid of them.

PS dudes do dig scars - they are suckers for the mean chick look (some men just wanna be dominated )

[DC]

There's two ways to look at this:

A) Learn to improve your technique to minimise the bruising. Contrary to popular believe, this is not something we go out looking for each training session.

If you are constantly bruising/scarring you need to go a bit slower and find lower walls to train on. And hopefully ones that are not abrasive to the skin. (for instance facebrick walls are great for grip, but a horror if you scraping your arms down them)

Try not to copy the guys or the "typical movements" over an object. If it is not working for you and you are constantly hurting yourself, find another way!

Use protective wear! Yes, you heard me. Wear basic knee/shin/elbow pads if you must. At least until you get the technique right. (I'm not so sure about the scar on your face. BTW, how DID you get that one?)

B) Correcting scarring/bruises after the fact. Some of the suggestions here sound like good ones. If you are going to put on creams, you are quite right .... don't use the creams while training. They can make the surfaces very slippery, and you'll be needing more than just creams for a broken leg or arm.

Good luck and train SAFE!

[mielies]

Ice is still one of the best things for injuries... doesn't work too well for knife wounds though...

You can give your skin frost bite if you put the ice directly onto your skin , should be wrapped with a cloth though,
Like stained said , comfrey I make does wonders.

Arnica is good for bruises too

[DC]

yes, when applying ice it MUST be wrapped in cloth, sock, t-shirt etc. Then only apply maximum 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off. repeat that for an hour or 2.

R.I.C.E.
Rest(Don't walk on it).Ice(10min on 10min off).Compression(wrap ankle in bandage).Elevation(Lift it up due to blood circulation issues).

[mania]

How to treat your own strain or sprain

Home Treatment for Strains and Sprains Swift and correct treatment of strains and sprains is of great importance if one is to ensure a quick recovery and minimise any lasting problems. Applying appropriate treatment to such injuries is fairly simple, but without the correct knowledge it is easy to do more harm than good. Ideally, an acute injury should be seen as soon as possible by a medical practitioner. However, there is unlikely to be one around when the injury occurs, and in the case of a minor injury people often choose not to see one. This page describes how to treat strains and sprains immediately and during the following days. Bear in mind, however, that although these are the most common of injuries, there can be no guarantee that your injury is a strain or sprain without consulting a medical professional. Strains are the result of tearing of the fibres of a muscle or tendon. They are the most common type of acute injury, caused by over-stretching or impact. Symptoms are bleeding, swelling, pain, dysfunction, heat and redness.

Sprains are the result of a tear in a ligament that supports a joint, caused by a joint being forced beyond its normal range of movement. Symptoms are usually more severe than those of strains. There is considerable swelling and bruising, and much more pain and dysfunction with any attempt to put movement or pressure through the joint. Strains and sprains can be dealt with using the following methods:

The RICE procedure should be followed for the first 24-48 hours after the injury, depending on the severity. RICE stands for:

* Rest
* Ice
* Compression
* Elevation

REST


It is important to get as much rest as possible in the early stages in order to allow the body to heal. Avoid the temptation to move the injured part in order to see if it still hurts.

ICE


Ice should be applied directly to the injury site as soon as possible, as it reduces bleeding and swelling by slowing down blood circulation, and also relaxes the area by reducing pain. Ice or cold packs are cheap and effective. Cold sprays are only worth using if nothing better is available. Ice should be wrapped in a wet cloth to prevent skin burns. Cold should be applied only for limited periods of time (as little as 5 minutes for a small area like the wrist, up to 20 minutes for a large area like the thigh), as too long an application will cause the body to compensate by pumping more blood into the area. When the ice is removed, the skin should look pale. If the skin is red it means that the ice has been applied for too long. Ice can be re-applied once body temperature has returned to normal.

COMPRESSION


Compression should be applied to the injury as soon as possible in order to reduce bleeding. It is best applied using a firm pad over the injury site, with a strapping around it to hold it in place. Ideally compression should not be applied round a whole limb, and certainly not so tightly as to starve other areas of blood.

ELEVATION


Elevation of the injured area should be practised as much as possible in order to help with the removal of swelling from the area through gravity. An arm or leg should be comfortably supported at a level above the torso. Professional massage at this stage, while not strictly necessary, may help to bring down the swelling.

Once signs of inflammation have gone, and heat and redness are much reduced, the MICE procedure should be followed until the injury is healed. MICE stands for: Mobilisation Ice Compression Elevation

MOBILISATION


You can begin by taking the injured part through its full range of movement, avoiding any movements that cause pain. This will prevent wasting of the muscles through lack of use. Once it can be done easily (it could be days before this is the case, so be patient) you should gradually try to increase the range of movement. Then once basic function of the injured part has been restored, it can begin to undertake more exercise. It will take time for the injury to get back to normal strength, so only light, simple exercise should be used at first, gradually building up. If pain is experienced at any time during exercise, it should immediately be stopped. If the pain disappears after 20-30 seconds, the exercise can be continued with caution. If the pain persists, however, then the injured part should be rested immediately for 24 hours, following the RICE procedure, after which exercise can be resumed at an easier level.

ICE


Treatment with ice should continue for about a week, depending on the severity of the injury. After roughly 4-5 days, heat treatment such as hot pads can be applied, provided that inflammation has stopped. This helps the injury by stimulating circulation and thus oxygenating and nourishing the area. Alternating between hot and cold treatments for a minute at a time can also be highly effective.

COMPRESSION


This should be continued for a few days, then gradually reduced to no more than a support bandage as the condition improves.

ELEVATION


This should be done as often as possible until all signs of swelling, heat and redness have disappeared.

PS. i personally find that keeping it mobile for a short period after spraining it reduces the initial swelling and allows for faster recovery