Forget RICE! All You Need Is PEACE & LOVE

forget rice!

All you need is

peace & love

So this isn’t some new age blog post where we rail against the evils of the grain rice and talk about how peace and love is all you need to sustain you. We are talking about musculoskeletal injuries and what you should do in the aftermath.

When you suffer a soft tissue injury, such as a sprained ankle or a pulled muscle, it's important to take steps to reduce pain, control inflammation and get moving. For years the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) was the go-to treatment for soft tissue injuries However, recent research suggests that the PEACE and LOVE model may be a more effective way to manage soft tissue injuries, and in fact you may never ice again. 😱

The RICE method is a simple and easy-to-follow acronym that stands for:

  • Rest: Avoid putting weight on the injured area and limit movement.

  • Ice: Apply ice to the injured area for 20-30 minutes at a time, several times a day.

  • Compression: Wrap the injured area with an elastic bandage to help reduce swelling.

  • Elevation: Prop the injured area up above the level of your heart to help drain excess fluid.

The problem with this is that by using ice and not moving you are essentially shutting down the process by which your body heals and rebuilds itself. You also are creating stiff and rusty joints and tissues by staying stagnant. In fact, the guy who made up RICE no longer supports it and has moved towards PEACE & LOVE.

The PEACE and LOVE model is a more comprehensive and functional approach to managing soft tissue injuries. It stands for:

  • Protect: Protect the injured area from further injury.

  • Educate: Learn about your injury and how to care for it.

  • Avoid anti-inflammatories: Anti-inflammatories can slow down the healing process.

  • Compression: Apply compression to the injured area to help reduce swelling.

  • Elevation: Prop the injured area up above the level of your heart to help drain excess fluid.

And after the first few days your tissues and joints will need some LOVE.

  • Load: Normal activities should continue as soon as symptoms allow for it. Optimal loading without increased pain

  • Optimism: The brain plays a significant part in rehab. Pessimistic patient expectations have a significant influence on outcomes and prognosis of an injury

  • Vascularization: Benefits of early mobilization and aerobic exercise in people with musculoskeletal disorders include, improved function, work status, and reduced need for pain meds.

  • Exercise: Restores mobility, restores strength, and restores proprioception

The PEACE and LOVE model takes a more holistic approach to soft tissue injury management. It emphasizes the importance of protecting the injured area, educating yourself about your injury, and avoiding anti-inflammatories. It also encourages you to start gentle exercises as soon as possible to help the injured tissue heal.

If you want to get back to doing the activities and sports faster after an injury then you need a little more PEACE and LOVE in your life. We can help. We help athletes of all ages get back to the sports and activities they love with the people that matter most. Give us a call at our performance physical therapy practice, POLARIS PT & WELLNESS, in Gilbert, AZ at 480.808.4995 or set up your free discovery call at www.polarisptphx.com/discovery-call

Brigham Woods