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Resting Injured Limbs
Delays Recovery!
Robert Filice, M.D. Former staff physician
A recent issue of the Journal of Family Practice (September
2004, page 706-712) includes an article based on a literature
review of studies which compared mobilization versus
immobilization of injured extremities. As is commonly found, the
traditional practice of medicine has not “caught up” with known
study results. In this case the review of existing studies
clearly showed that the common practice of resting, splinting,
or casting injured limbs or joints is ill advised. Rest is part
of the tragically misguided
RICE treatment
(rest, ice, compression, and elevation) approach to
musculoskeletal injuries.
Specifically
the study concluded that:
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Early
mobilization decreases pain, swelling, and stiffness in the
short term without any long term cosmetic or radiologic
deformity. Six and 12 month follow-ups also confirm the
advantages of early mobilization, including better range of
motion.
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Patients
usually prefer early mobilization, and return to work
sooner.
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Rest is an
overused treatment for limb injury, and the medical
profession errs too conservatively on the side of
immobilization. Systematic review of all upper and lower
limb injuries, including
fracture, consistently found in
favor of early mobilization.
This is what
Prolotherapy doctors have been saying for many years based on their
direct clinical experience with patients, and favorable results
from early mobilization. The moral here is once again that just
because something is common practice in medicine (resting an
injured limb), this does not insure that it is the best
approach. Chances are, this report will not have a huge effect
on the average practitioner because they think they already know
what is best. Although there are also many studies documenting
the adverse effects of
anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment
of acute sprains, and chronic arthritis, I predict it will be
even longer before a change in those prescribing habits ever
occurs. The medical profession in this country seems wedded to
the pharmaceutical industry. So my advice for readers is, don’t
assume anything, ask questions, do your own research, and always
seek the opinion of a knowledgeable
Prolotherapy doctor for any
persistent pain from acute or chronic conditions.
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