[Experiences with Sportgel in the ambulatory treatment of athletic injuries].

In a prospective open study over 2 years with 197 out-patients (150 men, 47 women, mean age 31 years) the efficacy and skin compatibility of a sportgel were investigated. Conditions of admission of a patient to the study were covered sport injuries according to their degree of severity of scaling 1-4 (0 = no complaints; 1 = slight complaints; 2 = slight to moderate complaints; 3 = moderate to severe complaints; 4 = severe complaints). Exclusion criteria were severe sport injuries older than three days and patients treated with medicaments others than with sportgel. 109 patients were treated who had muscle injuries and damages as a result of overstrain, 75 patients with joint injuries and damages from overstrain, and 13 patients with repeated injuries and damages from repeated overstrain in the muscular, tendon, and joint apparatus. Criterion of efficacy was the comparison of situation of ailment between treated and untreated patients in historic control. The descriptive evaluation of the results showed that under sportgel treatment the time of resumption of sporting activity is shortened generally by 2-6 days with damages of degrees of severity 1-4. During the two years' study none of the 197 patients showed any signs of skin incompatibility.