RICE – Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation – you have probably used this to treat a new injury. Is it the best way to recover from an injury? Research is telling us sometimes we might need to change this go-to.
I want you to think about the last injury you had. Maybe it was a sprained ankle or pulled calf muscle. What did you immediately want to do?
RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. There have been a few other acronyms over the years, all trying to help people take care of their new injuries. RICE was and has been the go-to for most people for a new injury.
Our previous management towards injury was about resting the area and giving it time. As injury healing research has grown, we see that complete rest is not the best thing for most injuries. Especially because we are then resting the entire body which usually isn’t helpful in the long run.
Complete rest can cause:
- more stiffness in the injured area
- swelling to hang around longer
- more pain and soreness when you start to use the injured area again
- deconditioning
- atrophy (muscle loss)
There are instances and specific injuries where the body does need rest, these are usually more traumatic injuries – but you should always get assessed by a physiotherapist or healthcare professional for guidance.
Understanding the difference between rest and relative rest can be important for acute and new injuries:
| Rest | Relative Rest |
|---|---|
| Lying on the couch or in bed for days after an injury | Using crutches to help walk or a brace to protect the area |
| Completely immobilizing the injured area | Getting guidance from a physiotherapist on how to safely move your injured area |
| Avoiding all workouts | Having workouts that target the uninjured side and other body parts |
You might want to try PEACE & LOVE to recover from your next injury ↴
This was adapted from an editorial in the BJSM.
What should you do with an acute or new injury?
You should see a physiotherapist or a doctor to ensure there are no serious signs of broken bones, nerve damage, bleeding, or other things that would necessate a referral for further imaging and investigations.
You can get guidance from a physiotherapist on how to slowly re-load the area and get exercises to aid in the recovery process. This won’t specifically make the injury heal faster, but it may help the rehabilitation time of the injury.
Do you need help with your injury? Book a one-to-one virtual consult with me and I can help guide you through your injury and give you individualized rehab.
