When the kids graduate from high school in the early summer, it seems that many of them decide that they need direction in their lives and enlist in the arm services. I know of several kids that are awaiting their 18th birthday to sign up to the Navy and Air Force. We are all proud of them for taking this huge step, but also worried at the possibility of being shipped out to foreign ports, and placed in harm’s way. Also as parents and friends we worry about the kids making it through boot camp safely without physical injury. Pain management is key for sore muscles and joints.
Last week my husband dropped off my daughter at the Naval Academy to enroll in a 5 day camp that consists of boot camp in the morning and classes in the afternoon, such as International Politics, Economics and Oceanography. The purpose of the camp is for her to find out if she would like to apply to the US Naval Academy in her senior year and become a naval lawyer.
Of course I worry about possible injuries at the boot camp. Mind you, my daughter is a competitive swimmer and is totally at home in the water, but on land, quite a different story. In fact, her swim team dubbed her the “graceful swan” for her series of mishaps on land.
So as a good mom, before she left, I reviewed with her how to give oneself a deep muscle massage to break the lactic acid muscle buildup, and threw in her suitcase a large jar of Elixer Arnica Sports Rub TM. With any boot camp, whether it is for the military, or just at your neighbor gym, muscle injuries easily occur. Just remember to ice, soak in a tub, give yourself a deep massage, and use an arnica gel or cream to reduce the inflammation. Hot pad and if it is really bad, Motrin can also be used to assist in the recovery.
Well, I hope in two days to get her back, happy and healthy. And with Elixer, I know that she doesn’t need to suffer through the pains of boot camp.
Have a great summer and stay healthy too.
