Switching RICE to POLICE

I have recently been working on completing some online courses in the efforts to obtain my Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP) certificate and in these efforts I came across some research and material regarding the traditional Rest Ice Compress and Elevate (RICE) for injury. It really isn’t that recent research has been pointing away from this, but it still seems to be what the general population recalls and has been sticking to. So instead of Rest Ice Compress and Elevate (RICE) we should be doing Protect Optimal Load Ice Compression Elevation (POLICE).

I really want to talk about the “Optimal Load” portion.

Optimal Load- “Optimal loading means replacing rest with a balanced and incremental rehabilitation programme where early activity encourages early recovery” (CM Bleakley, P Glasgow, DC MacAuley).

EARLY ACTIVITY ENCOURAGES EARLY RECOVERY- YES! We want the injured area moving again and moving well. With the optimal load we are able to return quicker and more efficient. Optimal load can look like body weight, resistance bands, a book and/or weights, etc. The tricky part can be getting the load that it optimal based on the injury.

Don’t continue being a victim of the RICE mentality. Move often, move well.