RICE Treatment

If you sprained your ankle and your doctor recommended RICE, you may have thought he or she was a lunatic.

While white rice, brown rice, and even fried rice may have little in the way of healing powers, RICE therapy certainly does:

1. Rest – Most experts agree that avoiding any kind of weight-bearing activity for the first 24-48 hours after an injury is crucial. Immediate rest to the injured area allows the extremity to begin healing, while continued weight-bearing following an initial trauma can exacerbate an acute injury.
2. Ice – After trauma to an extremity such as a sprained ankle, it is important to minimize inflammation, which can also help reduce pain. This can be achieved with ice. A simple bag of ice, frozen peas, or frozen rice if you can find it, applied to the injured region, twenty minutes on, twenty minutes off, to avoid tissue damage can be very effective.
3. Compression – Wrap the ankle with an ACE elastic bandage. This should be tight but ensure that it is not so tight that it cuts off circulation. If your toes start changing to a light blue color, or you begin experiencing numbness or tingling, the bandage may be too tight.
4. Elevation – Lie back and prop your foot up on a soft pillow, ensuring that the ankle is above the level of your heart. Slow down and take it easy for a couple of days.

If you or someone you know sprains their ankle, do not go reaching for the chopsticks, but you should feast on some RICE therapy which should help you bounce back to regular activity in no time and perhaps change your fortunes…without the cookie.