Treatment for Sprains and Strains

Last week I was playing volleyball and sprained my ankle. For me, this is a nightmare. Volleyball season is my favorite time of year, and I wanted to be up and playing as soon as possible. How did I get better? I used the R.I.C.E. method that my school follows for all minor sprains and strains:

Rest: Whether you’ve injured your ankle, wrist, or back, it’s important to rest that area for at least 48 hours after the initial injury. You may need a sling or crutches depending on your situation. You should listen to what your body tells you. If you test out standing on your foot and it feels like it won’t support you, don’t try to walk on it, that could cause further injury.

Ice: In order to reduce pain and swelling, you should ice the area within 48 hours of the injury. Do not use heat, this, in fact, can increase swelling. You can use a bag of crushed ice, an ice pack, or even frozen peas. During the first 48 hours, as often as you can, ice for periods of 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, take the ice off. Before icing again, let the area restore to normal temperature and color.

Compression: You also can reduce the swelling by wrapping the area in ace bandages or other support bandages. Make sure your wrap isn’t too tight. Your fingers or toes should not tingle and should remain the same temperature.

Elevation: Try to keep your injured area above your heart while resting. It will help reduce swelling as well.

You should see a big improvement in the status of your injury after two days of following the R.I.C.E. method. (I was back in the game three days later.) If you see no change despite following the steps, it is important that you see a doctor. You should return to using an injured joint or muscle only if you are sure it can support the work, and even so, start with just 50% of what you might normally do. Let yourself ease back into the work, and soon enough you’ll be back to full throttle.