R.I.C.E. — Immediate Care of Sports Injuries

R.I.C.E. — Immediate Care of Sports Injuries
Caring immediately for an injury can significantly reduce healing time and speed your return to sports and the activities of daily living.
The principles of R.I.C.E. should be used immediately after an injury occurs and continued for the next two to three days, depending on the severity of the injury. If the injury appears serious or does not improve after three days, seek medical advice.
R.I.C.E. stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Following the R.I.C.E. principles will reduce swelling, an important way to speed up the healing process.
Rest
Stop using the injured area. Crutches, braces and slings may be helpful.
Ice
Apply cold to the injured area. The objective is to cool the injured area to reduce swelling and inflammation. Crushed ice in a plastic bag is most effective but you can also use a refreezable cold pack. Crushed ice in a bag can be placed directly on the skin, but you may want to place a lightly moistened towel between the bag and the skin. Some refreezable cold packs can burn and should not be placed directly on the skin. Cold should be applied for at least fifteen minutes and no longer than twenty minutes. Cold should be used for the first 24 to 72 hours after the injury occurs. Allow an hour between cold applications. When using cold, periodically check the color of the skin. It should be red or pink. Remove the cold if the skin is blue and do not reapply until normal skin color returns.
Compression
Wrapping the injured area with a bandage, such as an Ace bandage, will help reduce swelling.
When applying the bandage, start six inches below and finish six inches above the injured area.
Comfortably firm pressure should be applied, with a little more pressure below the injury than above it. If sensation is lost, remove the wrapping until sensation returns to normal. The bandage should be worn during the day and removed when sleeping.
Elevation
Keep the injured area in a position above or level with the heart whenever possible. If sensation is lost, stop until sensation returns to normal.
An absence of injury pain does not necessarily mean returning to full activity is appropriate.
Rehabilitation, including strengthening, flexibility and sport-specific exercises, may be needed to reduce the chance of reinjury and to regain conditioning and skills.
Remember, any injury that does not improve in about three days or appears serious should be seen by a physician.