Sep 25, 2008 0
Got a sprain? Use RICE!
Just my luck, the day I cross the finish line from my 16 week workout program, I sprain my ankle bad from playing basketball which means I’ll be off of training for at least a couple of weeks.
swollen left foot
A friend of mine joked around and said I would go from 6 pack abs to 6 pack flabs. I seriously doubt that because 1) I’m hoping for a speedy recovery and 2) walking around in crutches is a workout in itself. I feel like i’m working out my core a lot more from just trying to balance, and putting more pressure on my upper body including my shoulders and triceps.
Crutch & Wrapped Ankle
Anyway I go to see my primary care doctor today to make sure everything was okay with my ankle. He told me that it should heal over time and that I should use RICE to help it do so. Okay so I’m Asian, that should be easy right? What he actually meant was R.I.C.E., an acronym that doctors use to treat sprains which stand for Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.
- Rest – Keep pressure and weight off the area of the sprain
- Ice – 15 minutes of cold therapy every 1-2 hours to reduce the swelling
- Compression – wrap with a splint to keep the muscle/body part properly aligned
- Elevation – keep the sprained area elevated also to reduce swelling
He also added anti-inflammatory drug like Advil or Aleve to help with the pain and swelling. Although I don’t wish a sprain like mine on anyone (intense pain and discomfort), if you ever get one remember R.I.C.E., it’ll help you to heal quickly.