Treating sprains and strains with RICE

Sprains and strains are common injuries. A sprain is a stretch or tear of a ligament, which is a band of tissue that connects two or more bones at a joint. A strain is caused by twisting or pulling a muscle or tendon. Tendons are cords of tissue that connect muscle to bone.

Reduce Swelling and Pain
The first goal of treating sprains and strains is to reduce swelling and pain. Follow a formula of rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) for the first 24 to 48 hours after the injury. RICE therapy works like this:

Rest: Reduce regular exercise or activities of daily living. Do not put weight on the injured area for 48 hours. If you cannot put weight on an ankle or knee, crutches may help. For an ankle injury, use a cane or one crutch on the uninjured side to help you lean away and relieve weight on the injured ankle.

Ice: Apply an ice pack to the injured area for 20 minutes, four to eight times a day. You can use a cold pack, an ice bag, or a plastic bag filled with crushed ice and wrapped in a towel. To avoid cold injury and frostbite, do not apply the ice for more than 20 minutes.

Compression: To reduce swelling, wrap the injured ankle, knee, or wrist with a compression bandage such as an elastic wrap, a special boot, an air cast, or a splint.

Elevation:  If possible, keep the injured ankle, knee, elbow, or wrist elevated on a pillow, above the level of the heart, to help decrease swelling.

To help decrease pain and inflammation, you may also want to take an over-the-counter, non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug, such as aspirin or ibuprofen.

When to see a doctor
If you still have moderate to severe pain from a sprain or strain, you may requiresurgery or casts to repair the torn ligaments, muscle, or tendons. Seek medical help if:

• You have severe pain and cannot move or put any weight on the injured joint.
• The injured area looks crooked or has lumps and bumps
• You have numbness, coolness, or discoloration in any part of the injured area.
• You see redness or red streaks spreading out from the injury.
• You injure an area that has been injured several times before.
• You have pain, swelling, or redness over a bony part of your foot.
• You have doubts about the seriousness of the injury or how to care for it.