About Sports Injuries
People who exercise vigorously run the risk of injuring their muscles and ligaments. Common injuries include pulled muscles and sprains. Such injuries are especially prevalent when people begin to exercise after long periods of inactivity.

When forcing a muscle during exercise, especially if the activity is unfamiliar, the muscle may over-stretch and some fibers may tear. This results in a pulled muscle. When the injury occurs, the main symptom is pain. Afterwards, the pulled muscle feels tender and may become swollen.

Similarly, ligaments may tear if a joint is stressed excessively. A sprain can occur in any joint, but the knees, ankles, and fingers are especially susceptible to such tears. The level of pain depends on the extent of the injury, and swelling and skin discoloration are likely to occur.

Treatment for Sports Injuries

The aim of treatment is to reduce pain and swelling while helping the natural healing process. During the acute phase, treatment usually includes rest, ice, compression, and elevation. The treatment should begin within a few minutes of the injury. In any case, the sooner the treatment begins, the more effective it will be. Following are some general guidelines on how to treat sports injuries; for details about frequency and duration you may want to consult a medical professional.

The first step is to stop the sport activity and rest. Next, apply ice to the injured area. Make an ice pack by simply putting crushed ice in a plastic bag and wrapping the bag in a towel to protect the skin. If ice is not available, anything cold will do, such as a cold can of Soda or a bag of frozen peas. Between ice treatments, use a bandage for compression. Make sure the bandage is not too tight, and take it off every couple of hours to check for swelling and to re-apply ice. In addition, keep the injured area elevated as much as possible to decrease the throbbing pain and the swelling.

After the acute phase (e.g., after there has been no increase in swelling for 24 hours), therapeutic heat can help the healing process. Moist heat increases the circulation in the injured area. This increase in blood flow brings in fresh oxygen, takes away waste, and speeds up recovery.

For heat therapy, Quantum Re-Heater heat packs are ideal for the shoulders, elbows, knees, and ankles. The "hand warmers" is designed for hand injuries, and the "back pad" pack is suited for larger areas such as the back. For most effective treatment, building the heat to 120º is as easy as pushing a button and maintain the heat with a moist cloth. Continue the treatment for 15 - 30 minutes.

Caution should be used, if you have sensitive skin or poor circulation.

Using Moist Heat to Treat Sports Injuries

About Moist Heat
Moist heat treatments are more effective than dry heat treatments because moisture transmits heat better than air.

After the acute phase, therapeutic heat can help people recover from sports injuries because: 
• Heat lessens pain
• Heat decreases stiffness in tendons and ligaments
• Heat relaxes the muscles
• Heat improves circulation
• Heat improves cell function (metabolism)

Medical professionals explain that heat causes dilation of the blood vessels in the area being treated. The resulting increase in blood flow brings fresh oxygen to the area and takes away waste. Thus heat eases pain and speeds healing.
The Quantum Re-Heater Heat Pack ™ is one of the easiest source of therapeutic heat in the home. It is clean, inexpensive, and simple to use. And unlike other electric pads, it provides moist heat by adding a damp cloth around the pack.