Suffering from injuries after training these days rarely elicits a bat of an eyelid. Such lack of fuss hardly merits scampering off to the physio, and the truth is that you can do a lot to help yourself before having to run off to a pro.

Knowing how to identify injuries, treat them and eat for them can get you well on the road to recovery, and instil in you a precious sense of your own healing power.

One of the most common injuries is the sprained ankle, but bad sprains can be mistaken for torn ligaments, and can result in a wasted trip to the doctor.

Sprain or torn ligament?

Determining whether it's a sprain or torn ligament means paying attention to the amount of bruising: the more blood, the more likelihood it's an injured ligament.

"If you heard a loud snap at the time of injury, it's most likely a torn ligament," says Eldered de Beer, a physiotherapist at the Sports Science Institute. "But it takes quite a violent movement to do this."

In any injury, the old RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) goes, with compression being very important since you want to control the swelling.

After you’ve iced the area (frozen veggie bags do best), put your school-learned first aid to use and wrap your ankle in a bandage.

Anti-inflammatory pads are very effective for sprains; they work better and are less messy than gels.

Take Arnica tablets — one every hour for six hours — and massage the area gently with hyssop and marjoram oils, both immediately post-injury. Later, soak the foot in a litre of cold water, with three drops each of chamomile and lavender.

Knees, wrists or elbows

Pain after training in the knees, wrists or elbows when no trauma has occurred is usually due to bursitis (when the little fluid-filled sac that lubricates the joint is swollen).

Tennis elbow is a common form of bursitis. The excess fluid means you can't move the joint very well, and it's painful when you try.

Rest is best, so make yourself a sling, and ice the area three times a day for five to 10 minutes (put some olive oil on your skin to prevent ice-burn).

Mix five drops each of lavender, juniper, eucalyptus and rosemary in a sweet almond oil base and massage gently into the area.

If you've hurt your knee and your regimen doesn't alleviate the pain over a few days, or you've been hurt due to trauma (a direct hit as opposed to overuse or stress) see a physio.

How to make a sling:

• Rest the hand of the injured arm on the opposite shoulder.


• With a square piece of fabric, put one corner on uninjured shoulder, while the other corner should extend below the elbow of the injured arm.


• Gently push the loose fabric under the hand, forearm and elbow of the injured arm, bringing the lower end of the fabric up and around the injured person's back.


• Bring ends of the fabric together, and tie at the uninjured shoulder


• The loose fabric at the injured elbow should be folded in or pinned to secure the injured arm against the chest.

Back injuries

Often the result of poor technique, most back injuries, with rest and TLC, will heal over time since they involve damage to ligaments and muscles around the joints and not the joints themselves. But some of them can be serious — especially those when the pain worsens or when it results in spasms, sure signs of a slipped disc or sciatica.

"Identifying a back injury depends on the mechanism of the injury," says De Beer.

"Slipped or injured discs occur after a sudden forward-bending motion, or a forward-sideways bend."

Sufferers will feel a very sharp pain at the time of injury, and may even be stuck in that position. If the movement comprised a sideways twist, it's likely you'll get referred pain down the legs — a sign also that the sciatic nerve is trapped.

"You should ice your back immediately," says De Beer. "For pain relief, lie on your side with your hips bent at 60 degrees, your knees at 90 degrees, with a pillow between your knees."

Steer clear of back braces or traction of any kind; it weakens the stabilising muscles that you need to support the injured area. If the pain persists for more than three days or worsens, see a pro.

Otherwise, get a partner give you a medium to deep massage, using long, upward strokes from the waist and bum. Pressing hard at the centre of your knee crease behind the knee (unless you've got varicose veins) can ease the pain. Rest well, pay attention to good posture and only hit the gym when the pain is well and truly gone.

Blisters and bruises can often seem trivial, but can cause a lot of discomfort. Never burst a blister, as the underlying tissue can get infected — rather keep the swollen area clean, with soap and water (or antiseptic if you're braver), and dab lavender oil on the area.

When you suffer a bad knock, ice it immediately. Elevate the injured area and take an aspirin or Arnica. Massage with Arnica oil if you can bear it. If you bruise easily, chances are you are lacking in Vitamin K — you should eat more yoghurt and fresh pineapple.

The power of eating

In fact, what you eat is integral to your body's healing power. "You must stay away from inflammatory foods after injury," says Sally Creed, clinical nutritionist and author of 'Let Food Be Your Medicine'.

"High grain foods that contain wheat and rye are a no-no, as is fruit and dairy, especially marg and cheese (which releases histamine), as well as vegetable and canola oils, and anything containing sugar."

For starch, you should stick to brown rice and millet. Olive oil, high in anti-oxidants, is a brilliant anti-inflammatory, as are bright and dark coloured vegetables like peppers, brinjals and butternut. Upping your protein intake is important since it helps to mend and grow tissue.

"Animal proteins in fish, eggs, free range chicken and lamb are best," says Creed, "and stay away from fruit juices just pile on the water and herbal tea".

For extra punch, take 6g of methylsulphonylmethane (MSM) a day. It's available from most chemists. For serious injuries like broken bones, it's important to get a diet tailored especially for you.