It's in the ointment
Research by Amy Breviano

	The next time you're working out that strained hamstring go easy on the goo.

“They helped me a little bit when I had a groin strain,” said Marvin Dickson, 32 of the Bronx. “It numbs the muscle a little bit, but I wouldn’t use it all of the time. I played with a team in Europe a few years ago and they have some ointment which is much stronger.”

Some popular European ointments, such as Mobilat, made by the Finnish pharmaceutical company Stada, include larger amounts of these ingredients. Mobilat commercials shown in Europe tout the brand’s effectiveness at penetrating the skin with medicine that actually heals the muscles.

“Mobilat was the stuff that everyone was using. It was like the magic sponge. Unfortunately, the next day, I couldn’t walk on my leg. It didn’t heal my groin.”

Excess pain relievers can also prove toxic. So the next time you’re working out that strained hamstring, remember to go easy on the goo.

- January 3, 2007

What gels work best for muscle healing? Some ointments numb the affected area while others provide intense heat, but very few ointments actually provide medical treatment that can penetrate the skin since the ingredients usually include topical pain relievers such as menthol and methyl salicylate. Of course, in some parts of the world, ointments can include more exotic ingredients like cayenne pepper and animal testicles.

As you may have learned already, excess application may result in an intense unpleasant burning sensation accompanied by numbness especially when applied to sensitive areas like the eyes or groin. Heat rubs are typically applied in cream form, but patches, sticks and sprays are also available.