Treating Sprains and Strains
The gold standard of care for sprains and strains is known as RICE therapy. RICE stands for:
Rest: Don’t put weight on the injured area (this includes not lifting with an affected wrist or elbow) for 24-48 hours, to guard against aggravating the injury further. If you physically cannot put weight on an injured knee or ankle, see your doctor.
Ice: Put a bag of ice on the injured area for 10 minutes at a time, and then take it off for about 20-30 minutes over the course of the first 3 days. Ice should not be applied directly to the skin. The cold constricts blood vessels and slows down the inflammatory process, easing pain and swelling. Too much time can cause injury, however, so don’t leave the bag on too long.
Compression: You can either wrap an injured wrist, ankle, knee or elbow in an elastic bandage, or buy a compression sleeve at any drugstore. Like ice, compression helps to decrease swelling.
Elevation: By placing the injured area on a pillow and elevating it above the level of your heart, you keep fluid from collecting in the area and decrease swelling.
RICE therapy is particularly important during the first 24-72 hours after a sprain or strain occurs. During this time, you can also take medication to alleviate pain. Check with your doctor to see what medicine is right for you.
As your pain and swelling subsides, you can decrease the RICE therapy, beginning to use the affected area again and applying the ice and compression less frequently (often at the end of the day, as swelling and pain tend to flare up after use).