As short as possible after an injury, like a knee or ankle sprain, you’ll be able to relieve pain, swelling, promote healing and flexibility with rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE Protocol) are amongst your initial treatments. The RICE is an easy self-care technique that helps reduce swelling, ease pain and speed up healing.
You can treat minor injuries with the RICE technique at home. You might try it if you’ve got a knee, ankle, or wrist when enjoying sports. If you have got pain or swelling that gets worse or doesn’t go away, see a doctor.
The RICE Protocol/technique includes the subsequent four steps:
Rest: Rest the injured (foot, ankle, knee, and wrist) area. Stop, change, or take a break from any activity that will cause your pain or soreness. As shortly as you’re hurt, stop your activity, and rest as much as doable for the first 2 days. Resting conjointly helps forestall further bruising.
Ice: Cold can cut back pain and swelling. Apply an ice or cold pack right away to forestall or minimize swelling. Apply the ice or cold pack for 10 to 20 minutes, 3 or more times daily. After 48 to 72 hours, if it goes swelling, apply heat to the area that hurts. Don’t apply ice or heat directly to the skin. Place a soft cloth over the cold or heat pack before applying on to the skin. Apply an ice pack to the harmed area, placing a skinny towel between the ice and therefore the skin. Leaving the ice on an injury for too long can cause more harm than good. Because ice constricts the blood vessels, it can diminish the blood flow to the wound area and reduce the healing process.
Compression: An elastic wrap ought to control swelling. Compression, or wrap the affected area with an elastic medical bandage (like an ACE bandage), can facilitate decrease swelling. Do not wrap it too tightly, because this may cause additional swelling below the affected area. Loosen the bandage if it gets too tight. Signs that the bandage is too tight include numbness, tingling, raised pain, coolness, or swelling within the area below the bandage. Discuss with your doctor if you think you need to use a wrap for extended than 48 to 72 hours; a more significant issue could also be present.
Elevation: Elevate the harmed or sore area (foot/ankle) on pillows whereas applying ice and anytime you’re sitting or lying down. Attempt to keep the area at or higher than the level of your heart to assist minimize swelling.
Treatments Used With RICE Protocol
Your doctor might counsel using Non-Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like ibuprofen or naproxen) together with the RICE treatment. They offer these over the counter and by prescription. Discuss with your doctor regarding your health history before taking these medications.
Is RICE Technique Effective?
The RICE technique remains the foremost commonly suggested treatment for soft tissue injuries. Most support the concept of resting, or immobilization, an injured part immediately after an injury.