An ancient Greek pain remedy for athletes

Else M Bartels; Judith Swaddling; Adrian P Harrison

doi:10.1111/j.1533-2500.2006.00088.x

An ancient Greek pain remedy for athletes

Else M Bartels, Judith Swaddling, Adrian P Harrison

Department of Clinical Medicine

Abstract

While Hippocratic writings make no reference to the actual Olympics, there is frequent mention of diet, exercise, and the treatment of injuries sustained by the athletic participants. Indeed, Galen in his Composition of Medicines gives details of a remedy prescribed for the relief of pains and swellings, which was reserved for use by the winners of Olympic events, the so-called "Fuscum Olympionico inscriptum"--(ointment) entitled "dark Olympic victor's." In a time when the Olympic games have recently returned to their homeland, we examine the potential efficacy of this ancient remedy in terms of pain relief, the novelty of transdermal pain management, and the ability of ancient physicians to attend to the sports-related needs of highly tuned athletes.

Original language	English
Journal	Pain Practice
Volume	6
Issue number	3
Pages (from-to)	212-8
Number of pages	7
ISSN	1530-7085
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-2500.2006.00088.x
Publication status	Published - Sept 2006

Keywords

Analgesics
Athletic Injuries
Greece
History, Ancient
Humans
Pain
Phytotherapy
Sports
Historical Article
Journal Article

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10.1111/j.1533-2500.2006.00088.x

Cite this

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AB - While Hippocratic writings make no reference to the actual Olympics, there is frequent mention of diet, exercise, and the treatment of injuries sustained by the athletic participants. Indeed, Galen in his Composition of Medicines gives details of a remedy prescribed for the relief of pains and swellings, which was reserved for use by the winners of Olympic events, the so-called "Fuscum Olympionico inscriptum"--(ointment) entitled "dark Olympic victor's." In a time when the Olympic games have recently returned to their homeland, we examine the potential efficacy of this ancient remedy in terms of pain relief, the novelty of transdermal pain management, and the ability of ancient physicians to attend to the sports-related needs of highly tuned athletes.

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KW - Athletic Injuries

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KW - History, Ancient

KW - Humans

KW - Pain

KW - Phytotherapy

KW - Sports

KW - Historical Article

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JO - Pain Practice

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ER -

An ancient Greek pain remedy for athletes

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Keywords

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