Exercise is crucial for good health but can sometimes lead to minor injuries, many of which can be dealt with at the pharmacy
From community games to fun runs to just getting out for a walk in the evening, everyone can enjoy and benefit from physical activity. It boosts physical and mental health, and helps people to make friends. And with so many of us now sedentary in front of our screens, it is more important than ever.
It is recommended that adults engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week, or 150 minutes a week. This can seem like a lot but there are many different ways in which a person can get active, such as joining a walking club or a five-aside soccer team. There are also numerous wearable devices and apps to help achieve this.
According to the HSE small changes can make a big difference. And the health benefits are undeniable, reducing a person’s risk of developing up to 35 chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, depression, and type 2 diabetes to name just a few.
But there is a rogue’s gallery of sports injuries – runner’s knee, tennis elbow, and shoulder injuries are among the most common – which can leave people frustrated and in pain. They can also potentially ruin weeks and months of training in advance of ‘the big event’.
The community pharmacy can help treat these painful injuries, providing a range of over-the-counter (OTC ) medications, as well as being an important signpost to other health services that can help repair and prevent injury. These can include, when appropriate, physiotherapists, yoga classes, and resistance training.
You can also offer advice about treating sprains and strains, such as RICE therapy (Rest Ice Compression Elevate).
Sports injuries invariably can cause pain, whether it be a niggle or something which causes significant discomfort. But there is a range of OTC treatments for these injuries, including painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol.
There is also an array of medical devices which can treat muscle pain, including deep tissue massage percussion guns, which work to relieve soreness and stiffness. TENS machines are also available from the community pharmacist and work to help ease aches and pains, including back and shoulder pain.
A sports supplement, creatine, is available in many pharmacies and sports shops. It increases muscle energy production rates and boosts performance in high-intensity activities like sprinting or resistance training. There is also some evidence that oral creatine might reduce the frequency of dehydration, muscle cramping, and injuries to the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, and nerves. Creatine is not just for weightlifters but is beneficial for team sports athletes, endurance athletes, and even those recovering from injuries, according to one of the most popular brands, Optimum Nutrition.
Another well-known treatment is gently heating and cooling sports injuries, and there are a range of products to help. One of the best-known brands is Deep Heat and Deep Freeze which provide trusted pain relief via sprays, creams, and patches.
Deep Heat and Deep Freeze sprays are some of the most popular sports injury treatments available, and many athletes also use them as a preventative measure before events. Deep Heat Spray is a warming spray used on the skin and is recommended for the relief of pain in muscles, tendons, joints, bones, lower back and thigh pain, sprains, and strains. It can be used before and after exercise.
Deep Freeze Cold Spray delivers an instant burst of targeted cooling to sore areas, such as the back, neck, shoulders, legs, and feet. Deep Heat and Deep Freeze also come in patches, which can be worn under the clothes on the affected area, allowing a person to get on with their day.
There is also a range of creams and gels, including Deep Heat Pain Max Strength cream. This can be used before and after exercise and contains ingredients that provide pain relief plus heat. Deep Freeze Cold Gel provides fast acting, soothing relief. It is also easy and convenient to use.
Another trusted product is Diclomel Max Strength 2% w/w gel from Clonmel Healthcare, which contains the active substance diclofenac. Diclomel Max Strength gel is indicated for the short-term, local, and symptomatic treatment of mild to moderate pain in acute strains, sprains, or contusions following blunt trauma. It is suitable for adults and adolescents aged 14 and over and is available from pharmacies nationwide in 100g and 50g pack sizes.
Another respected brand is ThermaCare heat wraps. These provide powerful, targeted, drug-free pain relief. ThermaCare heat wraps provide long-lasting pain relief associated with muscle tension, overexertion, strains, sprains, and arthritis.
There are also Medicare Infrared Therapeutic Heat Plasters. These deliver penetrating heat that lasts up to 12 hours, stimulating local blood circulation and delivering deep, healing heat into the body. They provide natural heat therapy to aid in reducing aches and pains caused by conditions such as arthritis, rheumatism, and soft tissue injuries. They may also assist with the following conditions: Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and lumbar soft tissue injury.
Biofreeze products are also very popular, providing fast-acting, cold therapy treatment via spray, gel, and patches. Biofreeze can be directly applied to the skin to bring targeted and effective pain relief. Its cooling formula is backed by science and research, and nine out of 10 of patients say it lasts longer than a cold pack.
Another increasingly popular cream, particularly for athletes, is Ovelle Menthol & Wintergreen Cream. It is used for the symptomatic relief of muscular pains, lumbago, rheumatic pain, fibrositis, and strains.
Other OTC products include the Voltarol range. Voltarol Emulgel P brings targeted and localised relief from pain and swelling in muscles and joints.
Voltarol Emulgel P contains an anti-inflammatory drug, diclofenac, which targets the source of pain, and has been used as a pain reliever for more than 30 years in Ireland. Diclofenac gets through the skin barrier as well as offering a cooling effect to ease the painful and red areas of the body. It provides a triple effect by relieving pain at source and reducing inflammation which helps speed up recovery.
Voltarol Emulgel Extra Strength gel can provide all day relief from pain and swelling in joints and muscles, which can be caused by their overuse during physical activity.
Diclac Relief 1% gel is also a popular and trusted brand. It is an anti-inflammatory gel used for pain relief and to reduce inflammation. Diclac Relief is suitable for use with injured or damaged joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and in local soft tissue bruising.
Epsom salts are world famous for easing muscle pain and soreness, and they are available in a host of products. These include soluble bath salts and gels.
Ultrapure Laboratories Epsom Salts Gel with arnica is a natural, fragrance-free gel infused with aloe vera and designed to support natural muscle recovery. It is suitable for professional athletes, those doing endurance training, adults and teens suffering from muscle and joint pain, and people with no time or access to Epsom salt baths.
Ultrapure also has other muscle recovery products, including Ultrapure Laboratories Ice-Cold Menthol Gel. This is an intensive, sports recovery topical gel with menthol crystals (4% strength) for an instant ice bath-type cooling sensation. This fast-absorbing gel has a mild fresh menthol scent and is designed for on-the-go, targeted application.
There is also Ultrapure Laboratories Wintergreen Heat Rub, which is infused with natural extracts and rich oils, plus calming wintergreen oil and rosemary camphor oil.
Keeping hydrated during sport and exercise is very important. If a person is dehydrated, sweat levels can decrease, body temperature rises, and a person could experience muscle cramps and dizziness. Dioralyte sachets can help restore a person’s natural fluid and body salt balance. There is also Electrosal blackcurrant from Clonmel Healthcare, which helps replace electrolytes.Another trusted product is O.R.S. Hydration Tablets, available in a variety of flavours. These effervescent tablets are designed to help replenish electrolytes and fluids lost through dehydration, ensuring optimal hydration whether a person is working out, travelling, or recovering from illness. Formulated with a balanced mix of glucose, sodium, and essential minerals, they dissolve quickly in water.
A plethora of supports, insoles, and tape products can also be found at the community pharmacist.
The Scholl Gelactiv Sport range is developed to effectively absorb shocks and help reduce excessive pressure from running or sports. It provides strong arch support for active feet, impact cushioning for heels, knees, and ankles, and a sole shape design for all day comfort.
There is also a range of knee, ankle, and elbow supports available from the pharmacy, including those available from well-known brand Elastoplast.
Sports and kinesiology tapes are increasingly popular to help recover from and prevent injury. Physiologix Kinesiology Tape from Fleming Medical is constructed from a combination of elastic and cotton fibres and latex-free coating which allows adhesive properties. It is used to prevent injury, control edema, and for pain management. Being almost identical to human skin in both thickness and elasticity, kinesiology tape can be worn without binding, constricting, or restricting movement. The sports tape is ideal for neck strain, shoulder pain, tennis elbow, rib pain, wrist pain, runner’s knee, and a range of other injuries.
As the name suggests, athlete’s foot can also be an issue. While anyone can get it, as it is very contagious, being active makes it more likely. A person can catch it by walking barefoot in communal areas, such as in changing rooms and showers. Wet or sweaty feet, such as after exercising, can also encourage it.
Athlete’s foot is a very common complaint, with symptoms including scaly, peeling, or cracked skin between the toes, fluid-filled blisters, and itchiness. It should be treated as soon as possible with a specialised product like Scholl Athlete’s Foot Cream to help prevent the infection from spreading to the nails. The cream contains an anti-fungal ingredient that is clinically proven to treat athlete’s foot effectively. It also provides long-lasting treatment. It kills the fungal infection and soothes itching in a seven-day treatment time.
Scholl’s Antifungal Shoe Spray is also an effective disinfectant that kills 99.9% of the fungus which causes athlete’s foot and fungal nail. It also helps prevent recurrence of fungus in shoes.
Canesten Cream with 1 % Clotrimazole is also a trusted product. It is used to treat fungal skin infections including ringworm, athlete’s foot, fungal sweat, and nappy rash. It provides soothing relief from the irritation caused by fungal infections.
