A Slice of Orange - November 2014 - System in focus: The muscular system

VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 11 • NOVEMBER 2014

A SLICE OF ORANGE Refreshing Your Health

SYSTEM IN FOCUS: THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM • Don’t be so stiff

- What could go wrong

- Stay healthy

• Don’t strain yourself

System in focus: The muscular system BEEF UP ON YOUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT YOUR MUSCLES, AND MOVE INTO A WORLD OF STRENGTH AND FREEDOM FROM PAIN.

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People say that we now live in a world obsessed with the body. Left and right, you find people lifting heavy weights and running on treadmills, and where one exercise fad after another pops up. A beautiful body is today’s new currency.

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VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 11 • NOVEMBER 2014

ut on the road for the perfect figure, we forget that exercise is about health, forgetting that our bodies are delicate and prone to injury—including your prized muscles. In fact, a majority of the aches and pains a person will experience in his/her life emmanates from our skeletal muscles. Muscle spasms and muscle strain are the two most common causes of bodily pain, as well as muscular pain, even the everyday (non-gym-going) person will experience.

Don’t be so stiff

necessarily lifting heavy weights, your mus-

cles can still become overloaded by small

sign up to a gym. You can do a simple ex-

loads over a prolonged time:

ercise at home to strengthen these muscles.

The main function of skeletal muscles is

to contract so as to move the bones they

This exercise is called the plank:

are connected to via tendons. For example, your biceps muscle (front of your arm), which

• Staring at a computer screen at an

connects the shoulder and arm to the fore-

awkward angle can overload your

arm, contracts to pull the forearm towards

neck muscles.

your shoulder/arm. The contractions are

• Prolonged sitting with incorrect posture

voluntary—you can consciously control the

can overload your shoulder and upper/

contractions to purposefully make specific

lower back muscles.

movements.

• High heels or ill-fitting shoes can

overload your calf muscles.

What could go wrong

If you are a beginner, there’s no need to

• Lie down facing the floor, like the

Occasionally, skeletal muscles can con-

starting position of a pushup.

tract involuntarily, or otherwise increase their

Stay healthy

• Lower both forearms to the ground so

normal tone to the point that it becomes pain-

The first step to preventing muscle spasms

that both elbows and fists are flat on

ful. This condition is called muscle spasm. To

is to avoid the occupational risk factors men-

the floor.

demonstrate this, try flexing your biceps for a

tioned in the previous paragraph. Adjust

• Keep your back straight and your pelvis

long time, you will notice that it will begin to

your screen so that your eyes are directed

off the ground. Try to keep the entire

ache.

a few degrees below the horizon. When

length of your body, from head to leg,

The most common causes of skeletal

sitting, keep your whole spine in a neutral

straight.

muscle spasm are: dehydration or electrolyte

position: shoulders down and aligned to the

• Hold this position for 30 seconds.

imbalance (as in the case of athletes experi-

ears, the back slightly arched; and the stom-

encing cramps); and muscle overload (mus-

ach slightly contracted.

• Do this every other day. Increase the

cle overexerting itself by carrying too much

The second step is to strengthen these

duration of the plank by 5 seconds

load for too long). There are also many dis-

muscles that are most prone to occupational

every time to increase your strength.

eases called dystonias that induce muscle

muscle spasms (neck, shoulders, and upper/

Do this until you are able to hold this

spasm, but these are relatively rare.

lower back). And exercise is the best way to

position for 2 minutes.

In the office, even though you are not

do this: the key is moderation.

Repeat three times.

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VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 11 • NOVEMBER 2014

Don’t strain yourself

to the affected area to prevent or

your muscles are strained or in spasm.

In contrast to a muscle spasm, where the

reduce swelling. If you are using ice,

Spasms cause pain, and pain causes

pain is due to contractions, a muscle strain is

place a towel between the ice and your

spasms. Doing this when your muscles are

caused by muscle tears from overstretching.

skin to prevent frost burn.

injured will only worsen the pain.

That’s why it is also called a pulled muscle.

4. Compression: Wrap the strained area

In most cases, the overstretch is caused by

with an elastic bandage to reduce

accidents, such as falls. A strain causes

swelling. But avoid wrapping the

pain, stiffness and, sometimes, bruising.

bandage too tightly that it occludes

1. Rest your muscles. Do not exercise them.

blood flow. Check that the nail beds of

2. Apply cool compress for the first 24

Just remember the acronym P.R.I.C.E.:

the fingers and toes remain pink, indicating good blood flow.

A word of warning: do not do this when

So what do you do when your muscles

are painful due to spasm?

A muscle strain needs immediate first aid.

hours, for 10 minutes, three times a day.

After 24 hours, a warm compress

5. Elevation: Keep the injured area close

should be used until pain free.

to the level of the heart, or above it,

3. When the pain has lessened, stretch

to reduce swelling and bruising.

the affected muscle. When stretching,

it is important to keep the stretch for

Over-the-counter painkillers may also

12 to 15 seconds. Repeat three times,

help relieve pain. However, it is important

once to three times a day.

to keep the muscle rested, even when the

4. Feel free to use over-the-counter

pain has subsided due to the pain killers.

painkillers, but follow the recom-

More importantly, every person with a mus-

mended doses (one dose every 4 hours

cle strain should see a physician for further

for paracetamol, and every 8 hours for

evaluation and appropriate treatment.

mefenamic acid or ibuprofen).

In the end, keeping your muscles healthy

1. Protect: Protect the injured area from

through exercise is good. Like everything

If symptoms persist after several days, recurs

else, too much of a good thing is bad for

even with the use of painkillers, or is accom-

2. Rest: Do not move the injured muscle.

you. And when you’ve had too much, wheth-

panied by other symptoms, such as fever,

er if it’s from spasm or strain, it’s your body

chills, weakness, etc., consult a physician.

3. Ice: Immediately apply a cold compress

further injury.

Rest the muscle until the pain is minimal.

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The information in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care.

Consult a doctor for all matters relating to your health, particularly for symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. © 2014 ActiveLink

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telling you it’s time to rest.

A Slice of Orange

is a newsletter designed to help clarify basic health information and offer juicy tips on uplifting your health.

Editorial team Alvin Delfin Christine Llenes-Delfin Ivan Olegario, MD