If you’ve twisted your ankle or sprained your wrist, you may have been told to follow the RICE method. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation, and it can help soothe injured joints and tissues.
What Is RICE?
RICE is a self-care technique that can relieve pain, reduce swelling, and speed up the recovery process for minor musculoskeletal injuries such as sprains, strains, and bruises. Medical providers often use it as part of a three-phase recovery program, with the first phase including RICE. Following this method immediately after the injury takes place minimizes the pain and swelling and creates an ideal environment for the body’s natural healing process.
How To Follow the RICE Protocol
- Rest: Start by resting the injured area to prevent further damage. Avoiding activities that might aggravate the injury gives your body a chance to start the healing process.
- Ice: Using ice 20 to 30 minutes, three to four times a day can help reduce swelling. Wrap the ice in a cloth to avoid an ice burn.
- Compression: Wrap an elastic medical bandage around the injured area to apply compression. This will support the injured area and help decrease swelling. Make sure the bandage is snug but not wrapped too tight so that you’re cutting off circulation.
- Elevation: Make sure to elevate the injured area above your heart as much as possible for the first 48 hours. This reduces swelling by encouraging excess fluid to drain away from the injury.
Supplies you’ll need to follow this method include some type of cloth for ice application, a flexible ice pack, an elastic medical bandage, and pillows for elevation.
When To Use RICE
The RICE protocol is most effective for minor injuries such as sprains, strains, and bruises. For example, the RICE method for knee injuries can significantly reduce initial swelling and pain. Similarly, the ankle sprain RICE method is a go-to first response for reducing discomfort and swelling after twisting an ankle. You’ll want to use it for the first three days of recovery. After that, you may want to use the MEAT method to begin reintroducing activity to the injured area.
What Is the MEAT Method?
MEAT stands for movement, exercise, analgesics (pain medication), and treatment. After using RICE for a few days and reducing swelling, adding movement back can help get the blood flowing to the injury to help with recovery.
Movement: Begin with gentle, non-stressful movements of the injured area to increase blood flow, which is important for healing. Avoid any type of movement that causes pain.
Exercise: As the injury starts to heal, incorporate specific exercises to strengthen the area around the injury.
Analgesics: Use pain medication as needed to manage discomfort during this phase. It’s important to consult with a healthcare provider about the most appropriate type of analgesic for your situation.
Treatment: Continued professional care may include physical therapy or other treatments to support recovery and prevent re-injury. This could involve techniques such as massage, ultrasound therapy, or specific strengthening exercises.
With any severe injury, movement and treatment should be managed by a medical provider or physical therapist.
When To Visit a Medical Provider
If pain and swelling do not improve after 48 hours of using the RICE method, visit a medical provider. If you’re experiencing severe pain, unable to walk on the injury, or think you might have a fracture, visiting a doctor’s office or urgent care for digital X-rays and a comprehensive evaluation is essential. An accurate diagnosis will help make sure you receive the proper treatment to support your recovery.
If you find yourself or a loved one needing further assessment of an injury, American Family Care (AFC) is ready to help. With clinic hours seven days a week and extended operation hours beyond the average workday, our medical providers are prepared to help. Our clinics offer a range of services, including digital X-rays and professional medical evaluations.
There’s no need to call and wait for an open appointment; all AFC clinics accept walk-ins. Find an AFC location near you.
