R.I.C.E.

Let’s look first at the tried and tested R.I.C.E:

REST:  Ugh!  You have just started a healthier lifestyle regime, you’ve committed to a big race, you have a family that needs to ushered around and taken care of.  Yes REST!  I can assure you that if you make taking care of yourself a priority the “rest” part will be very short-lived.

ICE:  Ice, ice and more ice!  Yes, I know, heat feels better.  But ice ice ice!   The goal is to reduce inflammation to reduce pain.  Cold/ice reduces the inflammation by slowing down the blood flow and the nerve impulses to the area.  Once the ice is removed and the area warms naturally, the healing starts.  As the blood flows to the area it carries along with it the nutrients needed to heal the injury.

I found THE BEST ice paks are available from your chiropractor.  They are reasonably priced and are of the best quality.  So reasonably priced in fact that we have 8 of them on ice ready to go.  If you don’t use chiropractic, call around and inquire.

Apply the ice as often as you can for short periods of time.  With acute pain and inflammation every hour for 15 and less often as healing progresses.

COMPRESSION:  The intention on using compression is decrease swelling and inflammation.  I don’t often use or recommend it due to the fact that it can give a false sense of security. There is a time where it is applicable once healing is well under way.  An occasional wrap or brace can provide temporary stability in the knee.

ELEVATION:  Sit down, lay down, put it(knee)up!  Elevation helps with reducing inflammation/swelling.  Gravity is free and it is your friend right now.  The idea is to get the injured area (not possible for the back of course) higher than your heart.  The blood will be encouraged to flow away from the injury helping to reduce swelling and to encourage circulation to and through the heart…….bringing back to the injured area nutrient rich blood.

Within R.I.C.E I have mentioned the process of getting nutrient rich blood back to the injured site.  You CAN eat your way back to recovering!