Bruises

[aaronk]

I have no idea where to ask this on the forums.

When ever i spar in training (grappling or striking) I get bruised VERY easely. I’m always black and Blue all over the place.

The thing is, thats it heals very slowly. Which makes me even more injury prone in the next traning sessions. I went to a Docter and a Pyshical therapist. None of them could realy answer my question how i could prevent it and how i can make it heal faster.

Does anybody have an idea?

Thank,
Aaron

P.s Sorry for the bad English. I’m from holland. I will search for a spell checker.

[rbibbs]

Interesting question Aaron, we will have to see what the tribe comes up with. Are these superficial (skin) bruises? Or deep muscle bruises that affect your ability to move? It's my understanding that the tendency to bruise or not, is innate, that is, we're born with it, and I don't know how that tendency can be affected. There might be herbal or food-concentrate diet supplements that can help.

I copied your question over to the "alternative medicine" forum Aaron, and there are some responses there for you to look at.

Your English is fine; it's a lot better than I can read or write in any other language. :)

Rick

[aaronk]

Thx for the help.

There deep bruises. i will take a look at the other forum now.

[James Boelter]

You are going to laugh at this one...

At least as a first aid measure, consider using onion (yes, raw onion) to speed the healing process.

Take a slice of fresh onion, and tape it, raw side down, over the bruised area and leave it there - overnight if possible, for several hours each day if you can't afford to smell up your linen.

The sulfides and sulfites in the onion give it a tremendous healing power - they 'draw' edema and congestive fluids into the onion itself and heal up the deepest bruises very quickly.

I first learned of this when I was trying to learn Hsing I, and got tagged a good one in the chest by a more senior student - he wasn't trying especially to hurt me, but I stepped right into his splitting palm when I should have been backstepping (I wasn't a GOOD Hsing I student!) . It dropped me to my knees as if I had been hit with a hammer, and Sifu came over to check on me. He advised that I soon as I got home, to tape a slice of raw onion over the bruise site and leave it there overnight. Feeling like an idiot, I did so, putting up with the strong smell and knowing I'd be washing that particular shirt for days before I could wear it again.

Late the next day, I peeled off the tape and discovered that the portion of the impact site that was covered by the onion was almost completely back to normal. Everywhere else that wasn't covered was purple and swelling and looked like hell. It was the weirdest looking thing - a nearly perfect circle of 'normal (slightly yellow) flesh with a border of purple and black. Needless to say, I was sold.

If a slice of raw onion is simply too drastic, a diced-onion and salt poultice will work almost as well.

Comfrey in a poultice or a fomentation would be another idea, but you can always find an onion.

As to why you are getting bruised - the classic medical doctors' advice for that is take some Vitamin C supplements to increase the collagen fiber formation in your connective tissue. It's simple, but it might help and it's cheap to do.

Good luck, and I hope this is of some use to you.

[aaronk]

thanks!! i will try that.

[bob_stra]

Onion!! Amazing!!

When I was little, my mother would put cut onion and potatoes in a tea towel, soak it in water and place the foul mix on my forehead to reduce fever. She'd also rub vodka on my chest.

The joys of a slavic background, eh :?

I also recall reading that garlic was traditionally applied to shaving cuts by men in russia. Being that I read that in Men's Health, I ain't putting too much stock in it.

I have *exactly* the right vict...uh..patient for the onion idea!

*rubs hands with glee*