Injuries to tendons and ligaments are quite common and typically the result of either a sports injury, an accident, or the repeating of certain motions. Injuries can be hard to deal with and take time to heal, but taking certain supplements can potentially accelerate the healing process.
Healing the Simple Ligament Sprain
Individuals experiencing ligament strains that are not very serious may not consider them to be anything out of the ordinary. Your ankle may be significantly swollen and discolored with bruises. You may have sprained your knee, and it is now swollen. You may have injured your wrist and thumb, resulting in your hand becoming swollen. This sprain of the ligament is anything but straightforward for you. If you have gone to the urgent care center, emergency room, or doctor, and they have assessed your range of motion and weight bearing, then you have been informed that the injury should heal without playing. However, the activity may still be difficult.
A Complete Rupture or Disintegration of a Ligament Will Most Likely Require Surgery
A rapid reminder: Surgery is likely to be necessary if a ligament is torn or completely snapped. Some people investigate different approaches to these interventions that do not involve surgery, such as stem cell therapy or Platelet Rich Plasma therapy. From our experience, we know these treatments cannot create something from nothing. If you are evaluating them, it is important to be aware of this. If the ACL rupture is severe, and there are only remains of the ligament left at where the shin and thigh bone meet, then receiving an injection will not magically create a brand new ligament from nothing.
A Simple Sprain Heals on Its Own – Let It
If your ligament sprain is not a full tear, it is probably something that will heal on its own. If your ankle is swollen or your wrist is severely swollen, if it hurts to turn your neck to the side, or if you struggle to get in or out of a chair because of your back, you may have already come across many of the “do it yourself” treatments available online. You may have also visited the doctor and been given a pamphlet containing instructions for how to care for your injury. This is a truncated presentation so as not to reiterate what you have already seen.
Do You Have a Graded Sprain?
In your information search or diagnosis, who may have been identified as having:
- Grade I sprain. Your ligament, in a hyperextension-type motion, has become stretched out and may have torn a little. But you can walk on it or have little range of motion difficulties.
- Grade II sprain is a bit worse version of Grade I. This may be characteristic of a more severe discoloration in the joint. More tears, more bleeding, and more black and blue. There is also a little more restriction of movement, and putting weight on it hurts a little more.
Grades I and II are likely to recover without any intervention IF LEFT ALONE. You are giving your body the opportunity to cure the ligament damage without you returning to the playing field or court. It is evident that a great number of you still have to keep working. It may not be possible for this issue to heal completely due to the requirements of your job. We will get to that later.
- Grade III is a completely torn or ruptured ligament. If this has happened to you and you have a walking boot on or your shoulder is now in a sling, this will, in many cases, require surgical care, and you should consult with the orthopedist about a surgical date. We also understand that some of you reading this article have already gone down this route and are trying to avoid surgery.
The Typical Treatment Guidelines
It appears that if you are reading this far, the basic solutions you’ve tried have not been effective in solving your more complex issues.
The protocol for handling injuries, known as either RICE or PRICE, remains an often debatable topic in terms of treatment. We have a piece of writing discussing the RICE and PRICE protocols. We will summarize it here below.
Rice and Price
- The RICE Protocol is Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation
- The PRICE Protocol adds Protection (brace or cast), Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation
Many athletes have viewed a doctor’s advice to use the RICE protocol to heal a sports-induced soft tissue injury as the ideal form of treatment. Despite being the creator behind the RICE treatment guideline, Dr. Gabe Mirkin is now being faced with disproval of the protocol’s effectiveness.
Dr. Mirkin recently declared in a piece on his own website that both icing and leisure could slow down the healing process, which is both a part of the RICE protocol. It has been almost four decades since Dr. Mirkin wrote The Sportsmedicine Book and was the first to introduce RICE, the four-step action plan for the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. This method consists of Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Coaches, physicians, physical therapists, and the lay public have recommended and followed the “RICE” guidelines for decades, but as Mirkin states on his website:
It appears that both icing and absolute inactivity may prevent healing, not aid it.
How Do Ligaments Respond to Injury
When ligaments are put through stress and are required to carry a load for a prolonged period, they will become larger, firmer, and can handle a greater amount of weight before breaking. Nonetheless, when ligaments become overloaded or they experience tension that is more intense than their structures can handle, the tissues get damaged and there are partial or complete interruptions of the ligaments. When these disruptions or breaks take place, the body endeavors to mend the harm by utilizing a particular progression of multiplying yet divided cellular processes. These distinct proceedings mirror those that transpire when the body is responding to any soft tissue injury and can be broken down into three phases which play out in sequence: the acute inflammatory stage, the proliferative or renewing/mending stage, and the tissue remodeling period. The inflammatory stage sets in right away after an injury is sustained and lasts up to a three-day period. At this point, hemoglobin assembles at the location of trauma, and platelets collaborate with specified matrix ingredients in order to alter their form and start the clotting process. The platelet-rich fibrin clot releases the growth factors that are essential for the healing process and serves as a support on which a number of cellular activities take place.
Which Supplements Are Good For Healing Tendons And Ligaments Faster?
Here are some supplements that I would suggest giving a go if you are having difficulty healing from tendon and ligament injuries.
A large number of elements that result in chronic infection and brittle tendons often have commonalities, despite the fact that the source is usually disparate.
It is essential to bear in mind that the healing process for tendon and ligament injuries can be lengthy and may take anywhere from several weeks to a year or even longer. It is hoped that taking these supplements will expedite the healing process.
Remember, taking supplements alone will not result in strong tendons. Your tendons must be reshaped to become strong and less likely to be hurt in the future. Once the acute inflammation has passed, it is important to engage in physical activity. The inflammation should have subsided by then.
#1. Protein supplements
If you’re at present consuming a diet with little protein in it, this is a moment when you should boost your protein intake, at least until you’re completely recovered from your wound.
An inadequate intake of protein can impede the recovery of muscles, ligaments, and tendons; if the protein isn’t consumed, healing can take a very long time.
Protein not only has an impact on IGF-1, but it is also essential for stimulating cell growth and change. A research project demonstrated that there was a notable improvement in the recovery of collagenous tissue with a rise of IGF-1 in the system.
Thus, it would be highly beneficial in reducing the time for healing and aiding ligaments and tendons that have been damaged.
It is important to remember that not all proteins offer the same benefits. Certain types are more effective than others. Consuming whey protein is usually the most effective way to boost IGF-1 levels.
In 2007 I hadn’t adopted a vegan lifestyle, so I was using a similar type of quick-acting whey protein powder as the one in question. I ate roughly 3 portions a day, and I think it had a positive effect.
If you abstain from animal products, you might want to consider increasing the amount of soy milk you consume or adding plant-based protein powders to your diet. Research has suggested that some plant-based protein powders can be just as effective as whey protein in terms of building muscle mass and improving athletic performance.
Consuming more protein when injured can help preserve existing muscle mass, especially if you are unable to be physically active due to the injury.
When you have completely healed from any injuries involving your tendons and ligaments, you should reduce your protein intake back to where it was before.
When I confront an obstacle, I continually alter my nutrition and supplement consumption to suit. The most advantageous method of dealing with any health issues encountered is this one.
#2. Bromelain
Many studies have revealed that bromelain, which is mainly located in pineapples, has impressive anti-inflammatory abilities and can help with recovery from injuries and trauma.
It has been demonstrated that when taken as a supplement, Bromelain is easily consumed by the body. Roughly 40% of it is taken in and its duration is roughly 6 hours.
A study in the Journal of Medicinal Food analyzed the potency of fresh pineapple juice and bromelain supplements on recovering from acute Achilles tendon injuries.
It was discovered that bromelain had the ability to markedly decrease swelling and inflammation and hasten the healing process.
A separate experiment demonstrated that creatures treated with 600 GDU of bromelain experienced amplified tenocyte proliferation and repair when compared to the test group that received fresh pineapple juice.
#3. L-Arginine
L-arginine serves as the foundation for the formation of nitric oxide in the body. It is a must-have amino acid, and it helps heal tendons and ligaments.
Studies indicate that nitric oxide added to tendon cells in humans can significantly increase collagen creation and speed up the histomorphological rehabilitation of tendons.
A low amount of nitric oxide existing in injured tissues could encourage the growth of substances such as TGF-beta and induce long-term irritation and the production of scarring (fibrosis).
The combination of Pycnogenol and L-arginine has a positive effect on nitric oxide production in the body by raising its levels and also hindering its deterioration.
#4 Omega 3 supplements
Inflammation is beneficial in aiding recovery from an injury; however, if it is excessive or long-lasting, it can prevent the damaged tissues from regenerating. Omega 3 has the capacity to fight inflammation powerfully, potentially decreasing inflammation that is excessive.
Eating foods that are full of omega-3 fatty acids or ALA can help reduce inflammation. If you are following a vegan diet, you can get omega 3 from plant-based sources by taking supplements. If you consume a diet that includes both animal and plant-based products, then taking fish oil will be an acceptable supplement.
Research demonstrates that taking omega 3 from algal oil is equally successful in increasing the levels of EPA and DHA as fish oil is.
Try to raise the amount of omega 3 in your food intake while simultaneously lowering the omega 6 intake. This will further help combat inflammation.
#5. Glucosamine supplements
Lots of individuals swear by glucosamine in order to enhance symptoms associated with osteoarthritis. Nonetheless, due to its powers to reduce swelling and promote collagen growth, its healing qualities for tendon and ligament damage are extremely beneficial.
A research project exploring Achilles tendonitis in animals revealed that taking glucosamine was able to reduce accompanying inflammation and increase the collagen level in the tendon.
The researchers observed that after being administered the dietary supplement, rats had much tougher tendons in comparison to the control group that was given a placebo.
The results of research on the effect of glucosamine on ligament injuries are inconclusive. An investigation involving sports people who went through anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction showed that there was no advancement in their recovery.
#6. Vitamin C
Vitamin C plays a major role in the production of collagen and helps expedite the healing of wounds. It is straightforward for the majority of people to get an adequate amount of Vitamin C from consuming fresh fruits and vegetables daily; however, Vitamin C is mostly eliminated when cooked.
In animal studies, it has been found that taking large quantities of vitamin C supplements can enhance recovery from tendon injuries. However, no research has been conducted on humans to see if this is also true for us.
It should be noted that those who are deficient in vitamin C will reap the greatest rewards by taking in between 500 and 3000 mg of this additive.
A study indicated that taking vitamin C could aid in the recuperation process post-surgery and following traumas.
Conclusion
It may take a while to heal from any sort of trauma to your muscle tissue, ligaments, or tendons. You must be willing to wait and not be in a hurry, as hurrying can result in you becoming hurt again.
Once an injury occurs, you should begin taking supplements to assist with the healing process right away. However, you need to wait until the injured area has calmed down before beginning any sort of exercise.
Conclusively, supplements may be useful in decreasing the recuperation period of sufferings in ligaments and tendons. Nevertheless, the helpfulness to which degree is tricky to evaluate, considering that different aspects can come into play.
