If you happen to’ve ever experienced an acute injury like a sprained ankle or pulled back muscle, you’ve likely heard to make use of “the RICE method” to cut back swelling and help the healing process. But depending on the injury, there could also be times when physical therapists would now recommend the “MEAT” treatment method instead, or along with, RICE.
The difference between these two approaches is that RICE is concentrated on reducing pain and swelling, while MEAT is concentrated on promoting overall healing. So it’s possible that each forms of injury treatments could also be helpful in your healing process.
Learn more about RICE vs. MEAT injury treatments, when to make use of each and the way a physical therapist can assist you to in your road to recovery.
What’s the RICE method for injuries?
RICE stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. It’s used to cut back swelling and inflammation immediately after a minor, acute (sudden) injury like a sprained ankle.
Rest
Taking time to rest for a few days allows the injured area to heal, so take a break from the game or activity that caused your injury. Also listen to the way you’re moving your body and be sure there’s little to no movement of your injury.
Ice
To cut back pain and swelling, apply ice to your injury for 10-20 minutes at a time, three or more times per day. This is very vital through the first 24 hours. Put the ice in a towel or plastic bag to maintain the ice from directly touching your skin.
Compression
Wrapping the injured area with an elastic bandage (akin to an Ace wrap) for 48-72 hours can reduce swelling, provide support and hold it in the proper position. Make sure that the wrap is snug but still comfortable. It shouldn’t cause numbness, tingling or increased pain to your injury.
Elevation
You’ll also wish to keep your injury elevated for the primary 24-72 hours, including overnight if possible. It will reduce swelling and make it easier for your body to heal. If you happen to still feel pain and see swelling after a few days, the injury could possibly be more severe.
When to make use of RICE therapy for an injury
The RICE method is handiest when used immediately after a minor injury to assist reduce initial pain, swelling and inflammation. Depending in your injury, it could make sense for you to make use of RICE for 24-72 hours after getting hurt. In case your minor injury isn’t higher in a few days, make an appointment with a physical therapist who can provide additional treatment and support.
The RICE method shouldn’t be used for serious injuries like broken bones unless advisable by a health care provider. To seek out out the perfect treatment for your serious injury, head to orthopedic urgent care as soon as possible.
What’s the MEAT method for injuries?
After resting your minor injury for a few days, it’ll likely be time to make use of the MEAT treatment method, which stands for movement, exercise, analgesia and therapy.
Movement
The act of moving your injured area increases blood flow to advertise healing. Plus, a small amount of stress on injured ligaments supports stronger tissue growth. So it’s best to maneuver your injured area as much because the pain will allow while protecting it from impact that would cause damage.
Exercise
As your injury begins to heal, you’ll have the opportunity to maneuver it more and begin exercises to assist the healing process proceed. This could possibly be an important time for you to work with a physical therapist. Physical therapy has many advantages for all kinds of injuries, even those which can be more minor or acute.
Analgesia
Analgesics are medicines that may reduce pain and stress to assist your body heal from injury. Managing pain is a vital a part of recovery because for those who feel prolonged, intense pain, it’ll be harder to maneuver your injury. Pain also can cause limping and other changes in movement that may impact the standard of your sleep and affect your overall health. For some injuries, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) akin to ibuprofen or acetaminophen may help for short-term use, and other injuries may require different pain relief options advisable by your doctor.
Therapy (or Treatment)
Completely recovering from any injury takes time and a spotlight. As a part of therapy, your physical therapist will assess your injury, health history and goals to create a treatment plan for you. This might include several therapy methods, including:
- Exercise
- Manual therapy
- Dry needling
- Taping
- Spinal manipulation
- Soft tissue mobilization
- Neuromuscular re-education techniques
- Advice on returning to activities
- Pain relieving modalities (massage, cold and warmth packs, etc.)
MEAT is often the advisable selection for long-term healing, especially for soft tissue injuries to the ligaments, tendons and cartilage – mostly sprains, strains, tendonitis and bursitis. These structures don’t get much blood supply to start with, so increasing that blood flow with MEAT will help with a faster recovery.
Deciding between RICE and MEAT
Wondering whether RICE or MEAT is best for your injury? Usually, consider RICE and MEAT as a full meal – it’s a mix approach starting with RICE because the appetizer. When you reduce the initial swelling and reduce your pain, you may move onto the primary course. MEAT will make sure you proceed moving the injured area and progress treatment for a faster recovery.
When to see a health care provider for an injury
If you happen to’re experiencing extreme pain and think you may have a broken bone, head to orthopedic urgent care for immediate attention. For other injuries, take time to see for those who get well with RICE. For added support, we have now many orthopedic and physical therapy clinics within the Twin Cities.
If you happen to’re able to take your first step toward recovery, no referral is required to make an appointment with a physical therapist. They will develop a personalised treatment plan that can discover, diagnose and treat your injury or chronic pain condition – which can include elements of MEAT – to assist you to move and feel good again. Learn more about what we treat at TRIA.