If you’ve ever twisted your ankle or bruised your knee, you’ve probably heard the advice:
RICE = Rest + Ice + Compression + Elevation.
It’s one of the most central dogmas of sports medicine. And now the same doctor who coined the term “RICE” in 1978 has reviewed the scientific evidence and reversed his decision. Specifically, Rest and Ice are *NOT* advisable for injuries that are over 6 hours old. It turns out Ice, Rest, and Anti-Inflammatories all delay healing, rather than speed it up. Oops!
3 Responses to “RICE = WRONG”
April 18
Jonathan GillInteresting — now give us something better. 😀
April 18
Chad GroftPretty sure this has been known for years; at least it’s what I remember from a nutrition and fitness class I took in grad school (pretty much on a whim). Still nice to see the original researcher reverse his views.
As for “better advice”, RICE is still good for *new* injuries. For older ones, heat and moderate activity help more. You want blood flow to the area, because that helps carry away detritus and grow healthy tissue; it’s just that the body overdoes it at first.
April 18
David McNettJust rub some dirt on it.