Injuries, are distinguished from the tissue break-down brought about during training, by the immediate sensation of pain. Connective tissue (tendons and ligaments) damage results in acute pain but little sign of inflammation. This is because they are covered in sensory receptors, reporting body positioning back to the brain, and they require a minimal blood supply. Muscle tissue is less innervated, but requires a far greater blood supply. Damaged cells release proteins around the injury site, these bring a cascade of inflammatory chemical reactions to the area. The key point is they cause blood capillaries to leak fluid around the injury. This is why we see the swelling, and later the blueness from traces of red blood cells leaked where capillaries were torn.
Recovery from injury is a three stage process:
1. Inflammatory Phase
The severity and consequences of an injury are closely tied to the 72 hr post trauma period. This is the time at which the inflammatory process of the body is at its peak, and during which the R.I.C.E.R. protocol is prescribed:
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation
Referral - You made need to be referred to a manual therapist / medical specialist of some nature.
2. Repair Phase
Fibroblast cells are amongst the most active at this time. All connective tissue has a large collagen component, and fibroblast produce this on mass. It is haphazardly laid down as a "stop-gap" repair measure for survival purposes.
During this time the following is recommended:
Alternate hot/cold treatment.
Movement.
Sports massage.
Light & alternate exercise.
3. Remodeling Phase
Here the key is to break down the temporary collagenous tissues and replace this with appropriate tissue aligned correctly in accordance with the forces ordinarily imposed at the site during normal movement patterns.
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