Orthopaedic Services Pinehurst, NC

The Importance of RICE for an Injury

Immediately after any type of accident or sports-related injury, there is one thing— other than scheduling an appointment with Dr. John Moore— that we encourage all of our patients to do: RICE. And although you may like to eat rice with your Chinese food, this is a different type of rice that we are talking about.

Rest

If you are particularly active, this may be the hardest thing for you to do but it’s also one of the most important. The more rest you give your injury, the faster it is going to heal and the less likely you are to injure it further.

Ice

Icing your injury is one of the fastest ways to get rid of inflammation. When icing your injury, try to use a soft gel ice pack that molds around your bones and joints— that way your entire injury is being iced. Try to ice on for about 15-20 minutes at a time and then allow your skin to breathe for about the same amount of time. Repeat throughout the day as necessary.

Compress

If you got an elbow, wrist, ankle, or knee injury, one of the best things you can do is to wear a tight compress until you come into see, Dr. John Moore. When choosing a compress, make sure that it fits around your injury snuggly but not so tight that it cuts off any sort of circulation.

Elevate

While you’re resting during the day and while you’re sleeping at night, make sure that you elevate your injury above the heart. The elevation will help reduce the inflammation by allowing fluid to drain from that area.

RICE is one of the best things you can do for any injury. If you were recently injured, schedule your appointment at our Pinehurst office today: 910-295-0224.

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