Is ice always the best option for treating an acute injury with swelling and pain? Did you know that using ice could potentially delay your recovery process? Ice is often the first thing people apply to sprains and bruises, but this approach has recently been questioned. Let’s look at the updated principles of acute injury management and compare Eastern and Western medicine perspectives to find the best ways to treat sprains and bruises for optimal recovery.
Dr. Gabe Mirkin, a sports medicine physician, introduced the principle of acute injury management known as “RICE” in 1978, which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. However, reviewing the findings of ongoing sports medicine research, he found that while icing can reduce pain and inflammation, it can also prolong recovery time. Therefore, he decided to reexamine the acute injury management principle he had proposed years ago.
