Nothing is more frustrating than an injury, especially when you live an active lifestyle. Most of the time however, getting injured isn't really the problem. It’s the recovery time that busy individuals and everyday athletes find the most challenging. While the pain of an injury can often be manageable, waiting weeks or even months to get back in the game can take its toll. That’s why a fast, effective and targeted response to injury is essential to follow for a better and stronger recovery.
Immediately following an injury there is usually swelling, redness and warmth that results in physical pain. Unfortunately, injuries don't often heal quickly. The injury needs energy, resources, and time to heal and regain strength. The good news is that there are tips you can follow that might help to recover.
A great way to respond to an injury is to follow these 5 steps - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation and Referral - also known as the RICE/R method.
Rest
When pain strikes it’s important to stop in order to avoid further injury. Either abort, change, or immediately take a break from the activity that caused the pain or soreness.
Ice
Applying ice straight after a sports injury can reduce the pain and help to prevent or minimise swelling.
Compression
Wrapping and compressing the injured area with an elastic bandage can also help to decrease swelling by reducing blood flow and providing support. Wrap the bandage tight enough that it brings stability to the area without cutting off blood flow. Bandages should not cause numbness, tingling, increased pain, or swelling below or above the injury.
Elevation
Elevate the injury by keeping it raised above the level of the heart. Elevation again helps to reduce swelling and bruising by making it more difficult for blood to reach the injury. Elevate the area for 2–3 hours a day on pillows or a chair.
Referral
If necessary, it’s important to get a referral from a qualified professional for a medical diagnosis, ongoing care and treatment options. A full recovery is then more likely when the injury is treated by a professional and an injury recovery plan is put in place.
The objective of RICE/R is to control the initial inflammation and get the healing process started early so that your body can recover faster and you can get back to the sport you love. However, an injured body part will struggle to heal if it is thrown back into the game too soon. Many athletes push their recovery too quickly resulting in re-injury and sometimes permanent damage. So remember to listen to your body when dealing with a sports related injury and always seek medical advice when necessary. Pain is an excellent indicator of an ongoing injury and shouldn’t be ignored.
Our ICE range has been specifically created for those dealing with sporting injuries and recovery, so you can get back in the game. Providing a cooling action for targeted relief of pain. Relieve and recover with ICE.
To help cool down the affected area we recommend our ICE spray - an effective temporary pain relief for sports related muscular pain including sprains or strains. ICE Spray works fast, with a convenient mess-free spray application to provide temporary relief directly to the injured area. Perfect for your gym, handbag or on the go.
For continued recovery, apply ice daily to combat swelling and pain. In this instance we recommend our ICE Cold Patches to cool down the affected area. These thin, flexible patches provide rapid and sustained cooling relief to muscular aches or pain and sports related injuries. The convenient adhesive patches can be wrapped around difficult body parts such as ankles and elbows and mean there’s no dealing with messy ice melting or wet clothing.
Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/self-help-for-sore-muscles)
