Your Care Instructions

Many people have small aches and pains from overuse or injury to muscles and joints. Joint injuries often happen during sports or recreation, work tasks, or projects around the home. An overuse injury can happen when you put too much stress on a joint or when you do an activity that stresses the joint over and over, such as using the computer or rowing a boat.

You can take action at home to help your muscles and joints get better. You should feel better in 1 to 2 weeks, but it can take 3 months or more to heal completely.

How can you care for yourself at home?

• Do not put weight on the injured joint for at least a day or two.
• For the first day or two after an injury, do not take hot showers or baths, and do not use hot packs. The heat could make swelling worse.
• Put ice or a cold pack on the sore joint for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the next 3 days (when you are awake) or until the swelling goes down. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin.
• Wrap the injury in an elastic bandage. Do not wrap it too tightly because this can cause more swelling.
• Prop up the sore joint on a pillow when you ice it or anytime you sit or lie down during the next 3 days. Try to keep it above the level of your heart. This will help reduce swelling.
• Take an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve). Read and follow all instructions on the label.
• After 1 or 2 days of rest, begin moving the joint gently. While the joint is still healing, you can begin to exercise using activities that do not strain or hurt the painful joint.