Ouch! How to ease the pain

I posted this picture on my personal Instagram with the caption, “What do soccer girls and old men have in common?  Ben Gay!”

My little soccer girl is now having heel pain and her experienced older sister is helping her to relieve the pain.  The little one got kicked in the heel in her game on Saturday, so we’re not sure if the pain is from that, or possibly from Severs Disease, a very common ailment among soccer girls.  I wrote about big soccer girl’s experience here.  It was pretty cute to watch her try and help her sister with her “diagram.”

Along with lots of ice, we depend on many items to help relieve pain around here, so I thought I’d share some of our strategies.  I’m not a doctor and have no medical training, but lots of experience with the everyday bumps and bruises that are a part of soccer.

• Advil is helpful for both soccer girls and soccer moms!  (Remember to check the dosage for your child’s age and weight- little soccer girl still likes the liquid)

• Arniflora is Arnica Gel, a homeopathic gel that helps with pain, swelling and stiffness.  You can also use it as a preventative measure.

• Traumeel is our personal favorite.  My girls call it “the magic cream.”  I’m not exactly sure what’s in it, but it was recommended by a fellow soccer mom who used to play rugby.  It’s amazing especially for bruising- you put it on to relieve the pain and it then prevents the bruise from forming, or decreases the severity.  It’s on the pricy side, but worth every penny.

• BenGay still has that distinctive (and overwhelming!) menthol smell and helps relieve pain for soccer girls and older gentlemen alike

• Icy Hot Stick works like a deodorant stick so it’s handy for the girls to apply quickly to help with pain.

What are some of your suggestions for bumps and bruises?