Anti-inflamitory gel.

[Stacka83]

Good God, They dont call you Doc for nothing.

Question then: After doing long runs (10 milers), I get a major pain under my lower rib cage. Bit like I've been taking loads of body shots whilst boxing? After a day it goes. What's that all about.....is that swelling

Stacka

[Doc]

What I try not to do is offer a diagnosis over the net from someone I havent examined.

Intially I would suggest a stitch which is basically a spasm in the diaphragm, the large muscle that sits just below the lower rib cage and makes you breath by contracting and relaxing. As with any muscle the more you use it the more it takes a battering. There is probably an element of swelling as a result of muscle tear perhaps.

You may even have a hernia in the area, or something as simple as trapped wind. In young fit lads, spontaneous pneumothorax occurs, which is a small tear in the lung tissue that can cause pleuritic pain usually below the nipple line or to the side. Depending on which side of the body it may even be a liver issue due to dehydration etc

I would suggest breathing exercises and ab exercises to maintain your core strength. Full warm up and warm down.

Top tip, unless you know what is causing the pain, avoid pain killers etc, as this could mask the symptons of something more serious, get a diagnosis before you treat.

If it persists then visit the doctor

Doc

[Stacka83]

It's not like a stitch pain it's more a bruised feeling, but on either side of the rib cage directly on the lower ribs.

I can't work out if it's a boxing injury or a running injury, it's certainly more prelevant when I run long distances.

I'm going to see the pysio on Thursday so I'll ask him. Normally it's not a issue when I see him once a month. Some of the triathlon lads I train with suggest it's the tense stance I run with, that coupled with a sit up regime, boxing and long distance running is causing the soft tissue around the rib cage to swell due to the extra stress's I'm putting on it and that in time my body will harden to it.....but in their own admitance they are not experts.

If it gets worst I'll go see the Doc, he's just too bloody fussy and over panics.

[AJtothemax]

Top tip, unless you know what is causing the pain, avoid pain killers etc, as this could mask the symptons of something more serious, get a diagnosis before you treat.

If it persists then visit the doctor

Doc

THANK YOU. Too many lads are coming on here asking about what they should do with regards to swelling and pains they are having.
If only my GP thought more about what I had. Tosser.

[AJtothemax]

Here about the guy who got stung on the end of his Owd Man? It swelled up to three times it's normal size. So off he trundled to the Quack and asked the quack "Doctor can you remove the sting but keep the swelling please?"

Artist

Well, the balls. I'll post a pic of what happens to your nuts when some prop gets a good handfull. That poor sod needed some serious anti-inflamatory.
I'm telling you, forwards and their hands.

[Lillelj]

Or.

Ice pack.....

Same thing. No side effects, although it is a little chilly.

[Doc]

Ice packs only effective in first 24 - 48hrs, then you need warm packs to remove the crap, and encourage blood flow.

[Dave_1987]

Is that the first 28-48 hours after your training session doc? Also whats all the crap?

Cheers.

[SamForrest]

I've never found the gels that effective tbh. I'm recovery slowly from a bad batch of shin splints (MTSS with some other funky pains!) and its been about 6 months. My current pyhsio (her field is running injuries) has told me to,especially on workout days, ice my legs for 10-15 minutes a few times a day, even though it's been months since the injury occured.

[Doc]

Ice packs on injuries that are repetative benefit from RICE Rest Ice Compression Elevation and NSAIDs

However injuries produce by products such as blood clots, lactic acid etc (the Crap) and these need to be removed and blood flow encouraged to the area to aid regeneration and strengthening. This is achieved by gentle mobilization and warmth.

[degrees of passion]

Doc, I read that its quite beneficial to fluctuate the body temperature between hot and cold after a work out to flush out all the toxins etc, ie:get a cold shower after a work out, then turn it to hot,then cold and so on. Any truth in this?

[Doc]

Don't see how really, most of the water will hit your upper body, and theres no submersion.

Cold baths can be good if supurvised, don't want to shock your system and get a cardiac arrest by plunging into cold water after a phys session.

It's not science fellas, just overload your body progressively to avoid injury and allow recovery, it's the recovery phase that gets you fit as the body repairs and adapts.

If you get an injury then seek medical advice, chill out.

Warm up, cool down, don't spend hours in the shower either, one thing that got to me was the number of bootnecks who had 6 showers a day then complained of rashes and dry skin.

Just mix CV with resistance training, add abit each week if you feel upto it, and keep going.

[Ollie_69]

Can anyone tell me if these gels are as effective as taking a brufen tablet because apparently i can't take ibuprofen because of my stomach, also are there any other NSAIDs which aren't as harsh on the stomach?
cheers