Whether you're a physician, parent, or gymnast, chances are that you have heard of RICE therapy, and may have used it at one time, but is it the best treatment for you?
The doctor who created the RICE therapy has some new thoughts that may have you thinking twice about this go-to therapy.
What is RICE Therapy?
RICE is an acronym for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
Rest immobilizes the injury and Ice minimizes swelling and pain. Compression with a bandage or compression tape helps reduce swelling, and elevation helps with swelling and initial bleeding of tissue when used with ice and compression.
Why is RICE Used?
RICE has been the standard treatment for sore muscles and injuries since Dr. Gabe Mirkin wrote his best-selling Sports medicine Book in 1978. It helps relieve the pain caused by injured tissue, whether it's sore muscles from a tough workout or a sprain from a twisted ankle.
New Thoughts Regarding RICE Therapy - Rest and Ice May NOT Be The Best Choice
On March 20, Dr. Mirkin released an article explaining why he now believes that ice and rest may be delaying the healing process instead of helping. In a nutshell, here's an overview of his new thoughts and recommendations.
Reduced Inflammation = Delayed Healing
When muscles become sore after intense exercise, inflammation naturally develops, and that's a good thing.Sending inflammatory cells to the injured area is the body's way of promoting healing in the damaged tissue.
When Ice is applied to injured tissue, the blood vessels near the injury shut off the blood flow to the area by constricting, and this stops the inflammatory cells from reaching the damaged area.
According to Dr. Mirkin, this decrease in blood flow can cause tissue to die and may even cause nerve damage.
Healing can be delayed by more than just the application of ice - anything that hinders inflammation will delay healing.
This includes almost all pain relief medications, such as anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen, cortisone type drugs, immune suppressants often used for arthritis or psoriasis, or anything else that could block inflammation.
Can Ice Reduce Strength, Speed & Endurance?
Cooling an injury may decrease pain, but can also hinder strength, speed, endurance, and coordination, according to a review by Sports Med in November 2011.
The authors of this study recommend that cooling with ice to reduce swelling should be limited to 5 minutes, followed by a warming before returning to a game, meet, etc.
New RICE Recommendations: Ice Only Within the First 6 Hours of the Injury
The new recommendation by Dr. Mirkin is for ice to be used only within the first 6 hours after an injury.
Apply ice for up to 10 minutes, then remove for 20 minutes, and repeat 1-2 times.
Compression and Elevation are still recommended, but anti-inflammatories are no longer recommended, as they block the body's natural healing process.
So the next time you're sidelined with aching muscles, keep the new recommendations in mind for a speedy recovery!
