Rest is important to keep the injury from getting worse. Often, people do not take their injuries seriously and try to continue their activity. This can lead to further injury. Ice reduces pain and swelling by restricting blood circulation to the injured area. When applying ice, it is important to place a layer of material between the ice and the bare skin.
Compression helps to prevent extra fluid from accumulating in the injured area.
It is important not to apply the compression too tightly, as it might cause the injured area to start throbbing. Elevation limits swelling by further restricting blood flow to the area, and by draining any accumulated fluid and distributing these fluids throughout the body. Beth Jones, a physical therapist at UH, said that RICE is a basic procedure recommended for patients immediately after an injury occurs. She emphasizes that it is important to know how to handle injuries in order to prevent further injury. A common mistake people make when treating an injury is applying heat too early to the injured area.