Faster Healing of Sprains, Strains and Muscle Tears

Recently, while doing a chiropractic adjustment on a patient, I felt an immediate pain in my elbow. From my body building background and many years in health care, I knew exactly what had happened. I had a significant strain of the long head of the triceps tendon where it inserts at the elbow. This brought to mind a solution that I have used for myself and my patients for many years: proteolytic enzymes. Using proteolytic enzymes within an hour of a muscle, tendon, ligament or cartilage injury speeds up healing.

Proteolytic enzymes are a category of enzymes which helps to break down the formation of inflammatory cells that aggregate to an area after an injury. They enhance normal tissue repair, while anti-inflammatory medications inhibit normal tissue repair. Proteolytic enzymes also inhibit scar tissue formation which is the cause of much of the residual pain and muscle or joint stiffness.

Some specific names of proteolytic enzymes are:

1. protease (derived from the fungi group Aspergillus)
2. papain (from papaya)
3. bromelain (from pineapple)

Numerous research studies performed over the last 70 years repeatedly show a significant improvement in pain relief, controlled inflammatory response, minimal or no bruising in the affected area, and rapidly accelerated connective tissue repair.

I can attest to this from my own personal experiences:

1. Last year, I had a slight partial tear of the lateral meniscus of my right knee at the gym while doing squats with 225 pounds. I took 2 proteolytic enzymes each hour without food for 10 days. With some physical therapy and 2 treatments of cold laser therapy, the injury healed up to the point that I could go back to squats with 225 pounds by the 11th day without pain!
2. In November 2007, fell and my quadriceps muscle tore off where it attached to my left knee. While lying on the floor in excruciating pain, right after it happened, I asked my wife to get me the proteolytic enzymes and I took 3 right away. I took 3 every 1-2 hours until I had surgery a few days later. The surgeon was surprised that I didn't have any bruise. In addition, I didn't need any pharmaceutical painkillers before or after the surgery.

This is a great solution for anyone from the average person to the professional athlete. I highly recommend this solution for most musculoskeletal injuries, unless you are taking blood thinner medications, in which case consult your doctor.

Copyright © 2009; Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN, ABAAHP. All rights reserved.