hyr00 wrote:
Research is challenging the RICE method, but - like everything else in sports - you'll hear people swear by it and others say it doesn't work.
I would like to add an aggressive and uncomfortable; however, highly effective form of RICE that comes from other sports...
Playing American football in college, and then professionally, there is the constant threat of losing your job due to injury. A turned ankle that caused even a slight degree of immobility could cause one to sit, lose playing time, and $ (resulting in a consequent undesirable return to washing machine sales).
A little known protocol for re-gaining range of motion and a
rapid return to activity, was the use of RICE which involves real discomfort, but pays huge dividends that serves me well in multi-sport, and far beyond the days when the field was green with white lines.
Tree root/pot-hole twisted ankle... The snap, crackle, pop, big swelling, yellow-brown-purple kind...
As soon as possible, immerse the entire foot in a bucket of ice water up to mid-calf. Leave it there for 10-15 min. (First 3-5 min. are really, really uncomfortable... Leave it there!)
After 15min. Lay down on floor, elevate foot to level of seated partner. Place effected foot on their shoulder (like they are playing a cello).
Have partner start at distal portion of ankle and aggressively two-hand compress (knead) the swollen area down into the inverted calf area repeatedly until unacceptable discomfort returns. Re-immerse until numb. Repeat 3-4x, 3x/day for 2 days.
Forcing lymph away from injury prevents a decrease in range of motion that would normally infiltrate the multi-articulated ankle.
This protocol has allowed many an athlete to jog in 2 days, compete in 5 with zero detriment.
PT's and athletic trainers maaaay have problem here. Some of them may want to hit me in the face with a bag of frozen peas. I'll take the peas in the face, and compete Saturday.