R.I.C.E

R.I.C.E stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. It is one of the most recommended icing techniques for reducing inflammation and treating minor injuries. It is best suited for injuries such as sprain, strain, muscle pull, or tear. Applying R.I.C.E. treatments can relieve pain, limit swelling and protect the injured tissues, all of which help speed healing.

• Rest: Rest is a key part of repair. Without rest, continual strain is placed on the area, leading to increased inflammation, pain, and possible further injury. Also, most soft tissue injuries will take far longer to heal. In general, the rest should be until the patient is able to use the limb with the majority of function restored and pain essentially gone. Immobilization is not usually necessary, and can be potentially harmful. Immobilization in a splint or cast should be carefully supervised by your doctor, as this can lead to stiffness of the muscle.

• Ice: Ice application helps reduce swelling, bleeding, and pain. Ice application should begin as soon as possible after sustaining a muscle pull. Ice is excellent at reducing the inflammatory response and the pain from heat generated. Proper usage of ice can reduce the destruction over-response which can result from inflammation. A good method is to ice 20 minutes of each hour. Other recommendations are an alternation of ice and no-ice for 15–20 minutes each, for a 24–48 hour period. To prevent localised ischemia to the skin, it is recommended that the ice be placed within a towel before wrapping around the area.

  It should be noted that exceeding the recommended time for ice application may be detrimental, as blood flow will be too reduced to allow nutrient delivery and waste removal.

• Elevation: It is advisable to follow elevation of the injured part as ice is being applied to it or just after such a session. Elevation drains excess fluid out of the injured part. This relieves muscle pain and swelling. In case one has pulled a muscle in his back or neck, lying down comfortably on the stomach would work. If the injury is in the arm or leg, the limb could be propped up on pillows as one is lying down.

• Compression: Wrapping the injured part in an elastic bandage or with an ace wrap helps to reduce swelling by application of pressure. It provides extra strength to the muscle and also reduces movement, thereby ensuring that the muscle is not subjected to unnecessary strain. Compression works best when applied after the area has been treated with ice and elevated.

After a day or two of R.I.C.E., many sprains, strains or other injuries will begin to heal. But if your pain or swelling does not decrease after 48 hours, go see your doctor.