The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-01-08

questions of general interest
only, and then only through
his column.
modern day and age when "only a
sprain" really means only a
sprain.
In other days 1t was a generally
held article of belief that a sprain
was worse than a broken bone and
the victim was fixed up in a cast
and put to bed for six weeks, and
then given crutches so that he hob
bled around for another three or
four months trying to get his
ankle loosened up.
There were two factors which
conduced to this unhappy state of
affairs-one was the treatment
and the other was diagnosis.
Old Time Treatment
To explain the latter first, this
gospel about sprains being worse
than fractures was held largely
before the days of the Xray. Many
injuries which look like sprains
are really small or peculiar frac-
lures. And since a differentiai
diagnosis is almost impossible by
palpation and inspection alone,
the>safest thing for the old time
practitioner to do would be to put
the limb in a cast and give it
plenty of time to heal, so he
wouldn't be blamed if bad result
occurred.
Now with modern Xray equip
ment it can be said that hardly one
case out of a thousand of bone
fracture is not spotted by the
Xray. So the doctor knows what
he is dealing with and of an abso-
lutte certainty. The great lesson
of falls and injuries is to heed
your doctors advice and have an
Xray taken, no matter how trivial
the matter may seem to be. Never
mind about the expense. There are
no priorities on Xrays and it will
be cheaper in the long run.
The second reason why the old
fashioned practitioner thought
sprains were worse than breaks
was his treatment, which was de-
signed to stiffen up the ligaments
so they came out as unpliable sS
shoe leather.
Working a Sprain
The modern surgeon is hard
boiled about sprains. He learned
from boys who played tennis and
baseball against his advice that if
YOU get out ana work a sprain it
will get well sooner than if you
baby it. Or to put it in the re-
strained terms of an army me3:cal
officer whose report lies before
me-"Invariably patients whether
with moderate or severe sprain
and almost irrespective Of the type
of treatment given, who were
Immediately sent back to routine
activity did better than those who
were put at rest for a few days
with limited or no use Of the part.
The ones who were inactivated for
one or more days by being put to
bed for cold and then hot applica-
tions we're often disabled for
periods Of few days to two or
three weeks. One patient was dis
abled eight weeks"
Note that the report says
Irrespective of treatment" The
latest and certainly the hossiest
treatment is to inject novocain or
procain or some local anaesthetic
into the sprained hgaments. This
stops pain and let's the fellow go
on about his business with no dis
comfort which might tend to allow
him to favor the sprained member.
But just as good results were OBJ
tanned by Swapping with adhesive
tape or an elastic bandage, or, il
the victim was one of your tough
brethren, just let him go without
any support or even arnica TO rub
on.
1t may seem cruel, but it comes
out best in the long run.
The lesson is, when you have a
fall or tumble get an Xray. Then
if there are no bones broken go
your way and fear no conse-
quences.