Repair Takes Time!
Tissue overload leads to injury. Fortunately, the body innately, automatically and instantly activates the repair process.
Stage 1...OUCH!!! Initial Injury - 12 to 72 hours...
Injury, acute or gradual, leads to breakage of molecular bonds and release of chemical mediators resulting in:
1.Inflammation and swelling, activating the repair process.
2.Nerve activity resulting in pain, your body telling you to slow down or stop!
3.Nerve activity resulting in muscle spasm, loss of motion, loss of function.The body's “splint or cast”
to prevent further injury and or micro-damage.
Stage 2...REPAIR - 72 hours to 6 weeks...
1.Removal of debris by the immune system, activated by inflammation, a necessary precursor to the repair process.
2.Formation of capillaries, to bring oxygen and other nutrients to activate...
3.Fibroblasts which create collagen (scar tissue) to “patch” the injured site.
Taking anti-inflammatories inhibits this process, use RICE:Rest (light activity O.K.), Ice, Compression, Elevation instead.
Most soft tissue injuries repair within 6-8 weeks (if total disruption and instability does not occur).
Stage 3...REMODELING Begins between 3-6 weeks, takes 3 to 40 weeks, but may last up to 1 year or more...
1.Body attempts to realign scar tissue along direction of use, increases strength.
2.Body attempts to restore scar tissue to normal length and flexibility.
Pain may be absent by Stage 2 and 3, but the repair process continues on. Be careful! This is when re-injury often occurs!
These same stages occur in Repetitive Strain (overuse or cumulative trauma). Work, athletics, poor posture, chronic mental stress and previous injuries are the most common causes of repetitive strain. There is an accumulation of microdamage leading to tissue injury, on a smaller scale, over a longer time period. Onset is more gradual and less disabling. Acute inflammation evolves into chronic inflammation and overtime degeneration results. Damage accumulates faster than the body's ability to repair it!
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic “spinal adjustment” allows your bodys' repair mechanisms to work at optimal potential and allows for coordination of optimal whole body function and performance. The lasting effect of an adjustment leads to optimal structure which in turn leads to optimal function of the whole body system.
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