AROMATHERAPY

A-Z of Sports and Dance Injuries - 4

Face Contusion

Contact sports-Fencing-baseball

Brusing of the skin and underlying tissue on the face. Apply an ice pack over the injured area immediately and at least three times day for fifteen minutes. Afterwards, massage the whole facial area with the following oil: 

Lavender	5 drops
Geranium	10 drops
Cypress	5 drops
Hyssop	5 drops
Rosemary	5 drops
Diluted in 30mls vegetable oil
Twice a day, morning and night, apply direct to the area a cold cotton-wool compress on which 3 drops of chamomile have been placed.

Finger Strain

Contact sports-Catching-Throwing-Gymnastics

Over-stretching of the ligaments between the finger joints. Place the fingers in a bed of ice for at least ten minutes then massage over the whole hand with the following.

Ginger	20 drops
Black Pepper	5 drops
Nutmeg	5 drops
After twenty-four hours use alternating hot and cold compress treatment, apply the massage oil.

Foot Bursitis

Dance-Aerobics-Competitive sports

The soft sacs of the pad of the foot filled with fluid are known as bursa and can become inflamed. This condition develops over a period of time and treatments should be started as soon as it is suspects.

Soak the foot in a cold foot bath three times a dday. Afterwards, massage the whole of the foot with the following oil:

Peppermint	30 drops
Diluted in 30ml vegetable oil
Rest as much as possible.

Foot Contusion

Dance-Aerobics-Blows to the Foot

Brusing of the skin and underlying tissue. Treat as for foot bursitis, massage with this oil:

Hyssop	5 drops
Cypress	15 drops
Geranium	10 drops
Diluted in 30ml vegetable oil.

Foot Ganglion (Synovial Cyst)

Aerobics-Athletics-Competitive sports

A small hard movable nodule in between or on top of a tendon or joint. This develops slowly and can sometimes be dispersed by massage.

Apply a hot compress which has had 1 drop of thyme oil added. massage the area quite firmly with the following oil:

Thyme	5 drops
Rosemary	10 drops
Tagetes	15 drops
Diluted in 30 ml vegetable oil.

The Fragrant Pharmacy: Valerie Ann Worwood