RICE is Right
By Robb Bolton ATC, CSCS Titan Sports Performance Center
Summer is coming which means longer days and warmer weather. This is a time of year when people become more active with sports and other outdoor activities. Unfortunately along with becoming more active is the increased potential for sustaining musculoskeletal injuries, most commonly strains and sprains. A strain is an injury to a muscle and a sprain is an injury to a ligament. For both athletes and non-athletes the proper initial care of strains and sprains can have a significant impact on how quickly an injury will heal. It would be ideal to have a sports medicine or other health professional do an initial acute injury evaluation but when this is not possible just remember RICE. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.
REST
Following any injury the injured area needs time to heal and so rest is important. In most cases this does not mean your whole body must rest. You can look for alternative ways to exercise, e.g. cycling or pool exercises which can keep you fit and does not put a strain on a recovering hamstring muscle.
ICE
Ice in the early stages of an injury (first 72 hours) has very beneficial effects and will speed the recovery process. Always use ice if it is available as it generally works better than commercial cold packs. Ice reduces the blood supply to the injury temporarily, which in turn can reduce swelling. As a general rule during the first 72 hours ice as often as is practical. Ice should be applied for up to 20 minutes with at least 40 minutes in-between each application.
COMPRESSION
Compression reduces the body’s ability to pump blood into the injured area. The best way to apply compression is to use a compression bandage that will provide an even, gentle compression above and below the injured site. Always compress an area much greater than the original injury. Check periodically to ensure that the compression is not restricting nerves or blood flow and never sleep with the compression wrap on. If you will be using a cloth wrap always begin by wraping distal or furthest away from the heart on an extremity and overlap the wrap by half of its width as you work up proximally or toward the heart.
ELEVATION
Elevation is useful in the first 48 hours of an injury to reduce blood and other fluids resulting from the injury from settling in body parts due to gravity. Once again it can reduce swelling. The goal If possible is raise the injury above heart level. This can also be done while sleeping at night with the aid of extra pillows. Remember RICE is a first aid treatment and you may need medical treatment depending upon the severity of the injury.
