Rest, ice, compression, elevation. If you’ve ever suffered a sports injury, you’ve probably heard these four words, better known as the RICE protocol. As the recipient of one separated shoulder joint, two knee surgeries and the odd sprained ankle here and there, I hate to think about all the time (and money) I’ve spent on ice machines and compression sleeves.
The RICE protocol has been widely used in the medical profession for over 40 years and it centers around what most of us probably think of when we imagine healing from an injury. Your trail running shoes or hiking boots get tidied away and you sit with your feet up and go through several bags of frozen peas, allowing that sprained ankle or knee to heal by not using it. Simple.
