Natural Solutions for Soft Tissue Injuries and Sore Joints

Cold wrapped compress on my ankle.

A few weeks ago I ran a 10k for The FEED Project in a different pair of road shoes than I have been training in. You can read all about it HERE.  Now I'm not often sidelined by soft tissue injuries as I always try to protect them with proper technique and equipment. All the same, here I am with very sore Achilles tendons that have made even walking painful.

Tender Times
You may need to see what new training routines you can try to lessen the stress on the injured area. This may seem intuitive but if any of your lower extremities such as knees, ankles, shins and hips become over-worked to the point of being painful, you'll do better to give them a rest. My ankles actually got WORSE days after the 10k which I was not expecting. I have a busy schedule so staying completely off them was not an option. Each night I make sure to take at least 500 mgs of Calcium Citrate in addition to my usual Turmeric supplements. Even with all of this, it has taken time to rebound so....patience, patience.

Increase your anti-inflammatory foods and supplements.

Adding Some Anti-Inflammatory Foods
In addition to taking extra Calcium Citrate and turmeric, I also make sure to add foods rich in omega fatty acids like: sardines, salmon, walnuts, sesame oil, etc. One of my favorites is pan seared salmon. I add a smokey apple wood rub to salmon fillets which have been marinated in lemon juice. A little flour and a quick turn in the pan with a bit of sesame oil makes them SO juicy! I also increase my antioxidants by adding a side of sweet potato fries which are rich in Vitamin A. You can also buy natural sweet potato and squash soups in cartons at the super-market. This way they are ready to heat and eat making it more likely you'll consume enough while recovering.

Squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes are all rich in Vitamin A

Another natural pain reliever, especially for people with arthritic or stiff joints is something very delicious. Sweet Tart Cherries. I like Dried Montmorency Tart Cherries which are grown in Michigan. Add them to granola, Greek yogurt, poultry stuffing or simply eat right out of the bag. Just a few a day helps me ditch the pain of sore knees and ankles.

Seeing the LED Light
You may simply need to employ the RICE method which is an acronym for Rest Ice Compression and Evaluate. Now while this mostly applies to acute sprains, it can also help when injuries tend to linger a bit. While my leg is up, I also use LED Lights placed just over the joint or ankle area. The lights cycle for 15 minutes and you will usually notice a difference after only one or two treatments. A lot of sports medicine practitioners have LED lights in the locker room, ready to go to work on team members. They really work well in helping to speed blood flow, thus helping to increase the body's response to inflammation. This 2 panel model is perfect for positioning over joints as well as lower back strain. See them online at Louisa Grave's website under LED Lights

Red LED Light Therapy helps soothe sore joints and tendons.

Wrap It Up and Chill
I've used and re-used these cool wraps by Arctic Ease. I like to put them in the refrigerator first so they get nice and chilly. Next I unroll it and wrap the offending joint. They feel great on and give a lot of instant relief for times when you just can't stand it. These reusable cold compression wraps come in different sizes and re-hydrate easily with just a little water. See them at ArcticEaseWrap.com