ENGLISH FOR PTA

Bones, Joints and Muscles

Abbildung © www.iStockphoto.com © www.iStockphoto.com

Although we take them for granted, they play a vital part in good general health. It isn’t until we sprain an ankle, fracture a thigh bone or damage knee-cartilage that we give them much thought.

Amazingly, our bones continue to grow and be replaced throughout our entire lives. Even though bones are strong, they can break. Joints can be damaged by injury or various diseases and muscles can weaken or atrophy if they do not get enough exercise, as anyone who has been bedridden for a longer period can confirm. Healthy bones are made up of calcium compounds, phosphorous and other minerals as well as the protein collagen.

Bones are not only made up of calcium, they also store it and release it into the bloodstream. The reason why we need to consider certain minerals in our diet and especially the amount of calcium and vitamin D is because they directly affect the calcium deposits in bone. Nutrition in general, is a deciding factor in how healthy the whole musculoskeletal system is. A wellbalanced diet, appropriate exercise and weight control all contribute not only to general health but also to healthy bones and muscles.

Medical conditions such as osteoporosis, arthritis and arthrosis are all conditions associated with bones. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are conditions which affect the muscles, tendons, joints, ligaments and even nerves. Some MSDs arise from repetitive stress injuries, which occur when too much stress is placed on a part of the body. Carrying out the same movement again and again, such as clicking a computer mouse can ac tually lead to nerve damage and inflammation and, finally, pain.

Muscle strains occur when tendons or muscles are overstretched, which can, for example, occur if we don’t “warm up” before sporting activities. In fact, not warming up may lead to muscle fibre and ligament tears such as in a hamstring injury. Joints can also be stressed too much and when the cartilage wears away from constant, repetitive use, it can lead to extreme pain and inflammation.

One of the most common joint disorders is meniscus injury of the knee. Although most people speak of torn cartilage, it is more likely to be simply worn away from one of the surfaces of the knee, such as the top of the tibia or the end of the femur. Another common condition is tendonitis, which is also spelled tendinitis. Tendons tend to lack elasticity and any constant pulling or stretching on the part where the tendon is attached to the bone may lead to tearing or even snapping as in Achilles tendonitis, which affects the tendon that attaches the calf muscle to the heel.

Pharmacy customer: Morning Sarah.

PTA: Good morning, Jim. How are things?! Oh, I can see that you are limping! Did you have an accident?

No. I was playing basketball on a hard court with my son and some of his friends, yesterday evening, when it happened. I did a slam dunk and came down on the outside of my ankle, twisting it inwards. It didn’t hurt straight away I just felt a slight twinge of pain and, of course, kept on playing.

When did you first notice the pain?

It woke me up in the early hours of the morning, at about 2:30 am.

Is it swollen?

Yes, it’s swollen and quite tender. I can’t really put much weight on it.

Okay Jim, can I have a quick look at your ankle? I’d like to see if you need to go to your family doctor or not.

Sure, go ahead.

It is fairly swollen. Does it hurt when you press on the ankle bone?

A little, but it’s not so bad, more uncomfortable than painful really.

I see. Have you tried cooling it? I mean have you tried placing a cool compress on it?

Yes, I did and the swelling did go down a little. I’m here though because of the pain when I walk. Do you think I should go to the doctor’s surgery?

Yes, possibly. Have you taken any NSAIDs?

Have I taken any what?

NSAIDs! They’re non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are over-the-counter drugs that help to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

No, don’t have any of them at home.

I think what you should do is this: Go home and take one of these tablets, rest your foot a little and change the cool compresses regularly. If after all that you are still experiencing pain, especially in the heel area or when you press on either of the ankle bones, I think you should consult your doctor.

Why? An ankle injury is not that serious, is it?

Not normally. But there may be a possibility that you have torn or damaged the Achilles or one of the ligaments in your ankle. I don’t believe that you have a fracture as a fracture is usually very swollen and extremely painful. There is also no sign of bruising, or a bone out of place, which would both indicate a fracture. The fact that you can’t put any weight on your foot is probably the most serious symptom.

Okay so can I drive when I take this medicine?

Yes, this type of anti-inflammatory is a non-narcotic, non-prescription drug which is why you can buy it over the counter! If, for example, it were a narcotic, opiate-containing substance, you would need a prescription. Jim, I don’t think you should drive with this injury.

It’s okay! My son drove me here! He is only too happy to get to drive my car now that he has his driving licence! That’s good! What about strapping the ankle?

Traditionally, we strapped the ankle joint for a few days and then removed the bandage to see how the injury was progressing. Several studies have indicated that strapping or supporting healthy joints can cause the joints and the surrounding muscles to weaken. This is why the current tendency is to let the injury heal in its own time with the help of anti-inflammatories and a little rest.

Well, I’ll see how I get on without strapping.

Good! Well, take care of your ankle and don’t go playing basketball on it just yet!

Okay! I won’t! Thanks for your help, Sarah. See you soon.

Hope you have a speedy recovery. Regards to Helen! Bye!

VOCABULARY
take sth. for granted etwas als selbstverständig nehmen
vital wichtig
sprain verstauchen
ankle Knöchel
thigh bone Oberschenkelknochen
cartilage Knorpel
be replaced wird ersetzt
atrophy atrophieren, verkümmern
bedridden bettlägerig
confirm bestätigen
compounds Verbindungen
phosphorous Phosphor
tendons Sehnen
ligaments Bänder
arise sich ergeben
repetitive stress injuries Verletzungen durch wiederkehrende Belastung
occur auftreten, geschehen
inflammation Entzündung
strains Überbeanspruchung, Überbelastung
muscle fibre (tear) Muskelfaserriss
ligament tear Bänderriss
tibia Schienbein (med.)
femur Oberschenkelknochen (med.)
tendonitis Sehnenentzündung
calf Wade
heel Ferse
slam dunk Korbleger
straight away sofort
slight leicht
twinge of pain ein stechender Schmerz
tender schmerzempfindlich
weight Gewicht
relieve pain Schmerz lindern
bruising Bluterguss
non-prescription rezeptfrei
strapping Bandage
progressing fortschreiten
weaken abschwächen
a speedy recovery eine schnelle Genesung, gute Besserung