RICE = Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate

The RICE method often helps with many types of joint and muscle injuries. The method will ease pain and help speed recovery. The RICE method is very helpfully if you use it right away after an injury.

REST - For most injuries, rest the area until the pain decreases. However, For simple sore muscles gentle stretching will reduce stiffness more quickly.

ICE - Ice is the most effective treatment for reducing inflammation, pain and swelling of injured muscles, joints and connective tissue. The cold helps keep blood and fluid from building up in the injured area, reducing pain and swelling. For the first 48 hours post-injury, ice for 20 to 30 minutes every 2 hours. More than 30 minutes doesn’t help heal the injury any faster, you can cause damage to the tissue.

COMPRESSION – Between icings, wrap the injured area with an elastic bandage to help control swelling and provide support. Begin wrapping at the farthest point away from the body and wrap towards the heart. The wrap should be snug, but not cutting off circulation to the extremity. So, if the extremity becomes cold, blue, or tingle, re-wrap!

ELEVATE – Raising the injured area for the first 24hours above your heart will allow gravity to help reduce swelling and draining excess fluid. The less swelling present, the faster an injury will heal.

Tags: boise, injury, Meridian, nampa, occupational health, occupational medicine, preventative, RICE, Shoemaker, treatment, work comp

This entry was posted on Friday, August 8th, 2008 at 3:47 pm and is filed under Health Care, Monthly Features, Physician. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.