How to Treat a Sprain With the RICE Technique
Sprains are a painful injury that need to be treated as soon as possible after the injury occurs. Early treatment of the sprain results in faster recovery time and minimal residual pain. Remember the RICE technique to start sprain treatment the correct way.
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Instructions
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Rest the injury for up to three days. Do not exert too much pressure on injured area until pain and swelling subside.
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Ice the injury in the first 15 minutes after the incident occurred. Moisten a towel and wrap it around injured area. Place the ice on top of the damp towel for 10 to 20 minutes. Remove ice for 30 to 45 minutes. Repeat icing cycle for the next three days.
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Compress the injured area by using a bandage wrap to consistently apply gentle, but firm pressure. Keep the bandage on the area until swelling disappears. Start wrapping the bandage a few inches below the injury to a few inches about the injury. If one feels tingly in the toes or fingers, the circulation may be restricted. Rewrap the injury, just not as tightly as before.
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Elevate the injured area above heart level to keep swelling down for up to three days. If injury is on the leg, try to keep the injured body part elevated above the hip. Elevation also reduces the pain of the sprain.
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Tips & Warnings
If using the bandage wrap with ice, apply the bandage over the top of the ice.
Never apply ice directly to bare skin. This may result in frostbite to exposed skin.
Do not keep ice on the injury for longer than 20 minutes at any one time. The tissue is already in pain, so it can not signal the brain when tissue damage occurs from the freezing temperatures (even through the towel buffer).
