You trip on the sidewalk and twist your ankle. You catch a ball and jamb your finger. You step on uneven ground and twist your knee. What is the first thing you should do? R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). Your body's response to injury is inflammation. With inflammation you get swelling, pain and often decreased range of motion.

The Physical Therapists at HPT recommend that you ice an acute injury as quickly as possible. Icing within the first five minutes may greatly decrease the amount of swelling at the injury site and actually allow faster healing. It is important, though, not to overdo it. The optimal amount of time to ice is 15 to 20 minutes. Thirty minutes is overkill and may excite the wrong response (inflammation) to save the tissue from the cold.

Rest, gentle compression and elevation are also important parts of the immediate post-injury protocol. Too often, people just keep going and tell themselves they'll deal with the pain when they have more time. Actually, following the RICE protocol will help to speed recovery and allow you to get back to your normal activities more quickly. Beginning with gentle movement early will also enhance recovery.

If the pain or swelling does not subside in two days, give HPT Physical Therapy Specialists or your physician a call.