Nobody likes to get injured. But when an acute injury of any kind, to any part of your body occurs, recovery may be supported by the simple method of “R.I.C.E.”
No, not the kind of rice you eat, but Rest / Ice / Compress / Elevate:
- REST: No matter what, it is crucial to rest your injury for a minimum of 48-72 hours to not only prevent further injury but to allow the injured tissues and muscles to repair and regenerate healthy cells.
- ICE: Although applying heat to sore injured muscles may come naturally, icing is key. The cold temperature decreases inflammation that occurs within the injured area, and also helps decrease any swelling and redness. After 72 hours (3 days), consider introducing heat to the area. This can be done in a 3:1 ratio of hot: cold. For example, 10 minutes of a hot compress followed by a few minutes of an ice pack.
- COMPRESS: It is important to properly bandage and apply compression to the injured area. If you are unsure of how to dress your injury, you can always call the clinic and drop by for an acute 15-minute appointment (new patients are welcome at anytime and remember we are now open on Saturdays). At Naturopathic Living, we have the appropriate wound care products to address injuries, no matter how big or small.
- ELEVATE: The last tip is to elevate the area that has been injured; elevation allows fresh blood to flow into the area and thus may help with recovery.
So there you have it, next time you injure yourself-just remember to “RICE”!
Dr. Vaishna Sathiamoorthy, BSc, ND