R.I.C.E - The Aptus guide for sprains and strains

What do you when you just injured or sprain your ankle?

What is R.I.C.E?

R.I.C.E is an acronym which stands for REST, ICE, COMPRESSION & ELEVATION.

It is a simple care treatment which can be done on a sporting field or at home. It is commonly used following a soft tissue injury to ease pain, reduce swelling and may increase healing rate. Below is an APTUS guide on the steps of R.I.C.E.

• 1. Rest

  Upon injury or feeling of a sprain, you should stop participation in the activity immediately as continuation can cause further damage to ligaments, tendons or even put you at risk of fractures. Often at times of injury, your body’s adrenaline level is still running high; the level of pain may feel tolerable to continue, but it is important to stop.

  If you or the injured person starts to experience immense pain, lost of consciousness, lightheartedness, severe bleeding, dislocation, open fracture or other severe life threatening symptoms, you MUST call emergency 000 immediately.

• 2. Ice

  Apply an ice or a cold pack onto the site of injury for 10 to 20 minutes (Must not go more than 20 minutes of application) every 2 to 3 hours for the first 48 hours. It is recommended that you check the site of application every 5 minutes.

  • If at any point it feels uncomfortable, loss of sensation or painful (sting, burning sensation) you must stop immediately as you may be in danger of ice burns.

  • You can also perform a “capillary refill test” where you squeeze their toe nail and see if the color goes from white to red. If it stays white, remove the ice pack as it has been on for too long.

  Disclaimer: If are applying the ice onto person, make sure they do not suffer from circulatory insufficiency or have had previous reactions to ice.

  TIP: To reduce hyper-sensitivity of skin to the ice, it is usually more comfortable to have the ice or cold pack wrapped in a slightly damp single to double layer towel.
  
  

• 3. Compression

  Apply compression around the injured area with a bandage. The APTUS Support Compression Braces are engineered to provide compression and increase blood flow to the site of injury for healing.

  Ensure the area is bandaged firm but not too tight above and below the site of injury.

• 4. Elevate

  Place the injured limb into an elevated positioning, where the level is above your heart or stomach. The reason for this is it helps to reduce swelling in the injured area, preventing the accumulation of fluid.
  
  For an ankle injury you can do this by having your leg supported onto a towel or chair. It is best to have someone help you into this position.

When should you apply ice or heat to support recovery and healing?

Many may be confused of when ice or heat application is suitable. Let’s explore their benefits to distinguish when they are best utilised in recovery.

HEAT:

ICE:

• Increases blood flow

• Increases capillary permeability

• May increase oedema

• Increases collagen elasticity, relaxes muscle

• Decreases your cellular activity, slowing the activation of chemicals

• Causes Vasoconstriction, temporary slowing bleeding and pain

• Slows transmission of pain along nerve fibres

Further information

• You may consult with a medical profession such as your physician or pharmacist for the use oral or topical analgesics at recommended doses for additional pain relief.

• If concerned or notice a delay in healing, please consult your physician.

• Avoid past 20 minutes of ICE application to reduce risk of Huntington’s Reaction

Disclaimer: This article serves as a general guide you must always consult a medical professional regarding treatment for all injuries and pain.