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.
A SLICE OF ORANGE
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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.
A SLICE OF ORANGE
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.
Looking to enhance your corporate healthcare benefits? E-mail us at benefits@activelinkbenefits.com. 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
Benefits Made Better
ActiveLink 7/F Electra House Building 115-117 Esteban St., Legaspi Village, Makati City www.activelinkbenefits.com
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