Managing your injuries
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| Soft Tissue Injury
Management | RICER | No
HARM |
Soft tissue injury management
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| If you want to get back to the field as quickly as
possible then make sure that you manage your soft tissue injuries
with the following routine. |
Types of soft tissue injuries:
- any joint injuries - e.g. Ankle sprain
- any muscle tears - e.g.. Hamstring strain
- any muscle bruise - e.g.. A 'corky'
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Aims of management of soft tissue injuries are to:
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minimise tissue damage
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minimise inflammation
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prevent further tissue damage
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early and efficient removal of blood clot and
tissue swelling
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minimised scarring of damaged tissue
-
regain full function before returning to play
-
enable the doctor or physiotherapist to make
an early diagnosis because the swelling is less
-
reduce rehabilitation time
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allow early and complete return to sport.
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So remember R.I.C.E.R. for early return to play!
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RICER
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RICER Stands for:
R - Rest
I - Ice
C - Compression
E - Elevation
R - Referral
Read on for how to apply RICER.
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Rest
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How
- remove the athlete from the field
- rest from activity.
Moving the injured part:
- will increase the blood flow and bleeding to the injury
site
- may cause the blood clot to dislodge, and begin bleeding
again
- may cause more tissue damage.
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Ice
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Apply ice:
- directly over the injury and surrounding tissue
- for 10 to 20 minutes every 2 hours.
How
- ice in a wet towel or plastic bag
- frozen cup of water continuously moved over the area
- a commercial ice pack
- iced water in a bucket.
Why
- ice decreases swelling
- ice decreases pain.
Do not apply ice directly to the skin, always wrap in a
wet towel or wet cloth to avoid ice burns.
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Compression
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How
- apply a firm, elastic, non-adhesive bandage
- if using an ice pack, the compression bandage is applied
over the ice pack and above and below the injury site
to hold it in place and provide compression
- even when you are not icing, the compression bandage
should remain directly over the injury site, above and
below
- release the compression prior to sleep.
Why
- reduces swelling and bleeding at the injury site.
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Elevation
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How
- raise the injured area above the level of the heart
whenever possible.
Why
- elevation decreases bleeding, swelling and pain.
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Referral
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How
- refer to an appropriate health care professional for
definitive diagnosis and continuing management.
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The R.I.C.E.R. Regime
should be repeated for the first 48 to
72 hours
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No harm factors
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During the first 48 -72 hours make sure that you do NO
HARM to the injury.
No H - Heat
A - Alcohol
R - Running
M - Massage
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No Heat
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such as sauna, spa, hot water bottle, hot
shower/bath, hot liniment rubs etc. increases bleeding. |
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No Alcohol
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increases swelling.
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No Running
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or exercising too soon can make the injury
worse.
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No Massage
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or the use of heat rubs in the first 48 - 72
hours increases bleeding and swelling. |
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