Managing Your Minor Injury

Dad carrying Daughter

Simple tips for managing minor strains, sprains, or bruises

While FLECTOR® Patch is effective against short-term pain from minor strains, sprains, and bruises, the most effective treatment of all is prevention. Use these simple tips to help avoid the pain that can put your active lifestyle on hold.

Strains occur when a tendon or muscle is stretched too far, possibly causing slight tearing. Tendons connect muscles to bones. The neck and back are common sites of strains.2,3

Preventing strains2,3

  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Avoid exercising when tired or in pain
  • Do stretching exercises daily
  • Eat a healthy diet to keep muscles strong

Sprains occur when a ligament is stretched too far. Ligaments connect bones and provide support to joints such as knees, elbows, and wrists. Sprains often occur in the ankles and wrists.2,3

Preventing sprains2,3

  • Wear shoes that fit properly and provide good support
  • Exercise on even surfaces
  • Warm up and stretch before exercising
  • Do not overexert yourself; know your limits

Contusions are simply bruises, the result of blunt impact against the skin without breaking it.4

Preventing contusions

  • Ensure walkways, hallways, and paths are free of clutter
  • Apply salt or sand to icy walkways during winter
  • Never exercise or work without adequate lighting
  • Be aware of your surroundings

4 simple tips for treating minor strains, sprains, and bruises: think R.I.C.E.

Rest: Do not use the injured body part until your healthcare professional says it’s okay. Your healthcare professional may give you special instructions about resting the area, such as walking rather than running.5

Ice: Ice can reduce the swelling around the injury. Apply a cloth-covered icepack for no more than 20 minutes at a time, 4 to 8 times per day. Apply ice for only 10 minutes to small areas such as fingers and toes. Reusable frozen gel packs are colder than ice, so they should be used for only 10 minutes at a time.5

Compression: An elastic bandage can also help reduce swelling. Your healthcare professional can show you how to safely wrap the injured area. Don’t wrap too tightly. The area where the bandage is applied should not hurt or throb while the bandage is in place. The area beyond the bandage, such as toes and fingers, should remain pink and not feel “tingly.” Remove the wrap every 4 hours and rewrap.5

Elevation: Raising the injured area above the level of the heart may be necessary to help reduce swelling. To elevate a leg, lie down and place several pillows under the foot. The injured area should be about 12 inches above the level of the heart.5

If you have diabetes or any medical condition, such as Raynaud’s, that can reduce blood flow to your arms or legs, do not follow these steps. Instead, consult your healthcare professional about how to treat a strain, sprain, or bruise safely.1

More Pain Management Resources

While there’s no substitute for direct advice from your healthcare professional, it’s good to learn all you can about preventing and treating pain. The following links offer pain management advice and tips you can discuss with your healthcare professional.

WebMD
Pain
American Academy of Pain Management

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Related Specialists & Trainers

Physical Therapists:
Relieving Pain with Direct Manipulation

Physical Medicine and Rehab (Kinesiology):
Diagnosing and Treating Sports Injuries

Certified Personal Trainers:

INDICATIONS

FLECTOR® Patch (diclofenac epolamine topical patch) 1.3% is used for the topical treatment of acute (short-term) pain due to minor strains, sprains, and contusions (bruises).

FLECTOR® Patch is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Use FLECTOR® Patch exactly as your healthcare professional told you. Do not use more. Do not use for a longer time.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

  • NSAIDs may increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke that can lead to death. This chance increases
    • With longer use of NSAID medicines 
    • In people who have heart disease
  • NSAID medicines should never be used right before or after a heart surgery called “coronary artery bypass graft” (CABG)
  • NSAID medicines can cause ulcers and bleeding in the stomach and intestines at any time during treatment. These can happen without symptoms and may cause death. The chance of a person getting an ulcer or bleeding increases with
    • Taking blood thinning medicines or medicines called steroids
    • Longer use
    • Smoking
    • Drinking alcohol
    • Older age
    • Having poor health

Do not use FLECTOR® Patch if you know you are allergic to diclofenac or have had an asthma attack, hives, or other allergic reactions when taking aspirin or another NSAID medicine.

FLECTOR® Patch should not be applied to broken or damaged skin due to any cause, such as cuts, burns, infected wound, or rash with oozing fluid.

Before using FLECTOR® Patch, tell your healthcare professional about the following:

  • Any and all other health or medical problems you may have
  • All other medications (prescription and nonprescription) you are taking. Do not take other medicines without your healthcare professional’s approval
  • If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. NSAID medicines should not be used by pregnant women late in their pregnancy
  • If you are breast-feeding

Get emergency help right away if you have any of the following symptoms: shortness of breath or trouble breathing, chest pain, weakness in one part or side of your body, slurred speech, or swelling of the face or throat. Stop using FLECTOR® Patch and call your healthcare professional right away if you have any of the following symptoms: nausea, more tired or weaker than usual, itching, your skin or eyes look yellow, stomach pain, flu-like symptoms, vomit blood, bowel movement contains blood or is black and sticky like tar, unusual weight gain, skin rash or blisters with fever, or swelling of the arms, legs, hands, or feet.

The most common side effects seen with FLECTOR® Patch were skin reactions (including itching, inflamed skin, burning) at the site of treatment, stomach discomfort or intestine problems (including nausea, altered taste, upset stomach), and nervous disorders (including headache, tingling of the skin, sleepiness).

Avoid contact of FLECTOR® Patch with eyes, nose, or mouth, and wash hands after applying, handling, or removing FLECTOR® Patch. FLECTOR® Patch still contains medicine even after use. Keep all FLECTOR® Patches out of the reach of children and pets. If a child or pet puts FLECTOR® Patch in their mouth, seek medical help immediately. Children should not use FLECTOR® Patch.

Please see full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.