The RICE Protocol Is a Myth

The following information is intended for educational purposes only and not as medical advice.
 
We’ve all heard it, read it, and said it: treat sports injuries with RICE – rest, ice, compression and elevation. But an article posted online by The Sport Journal asserts that this protocol is not only unhelpful but may actually delay recovery.
 
Ever since Dr. Gabe Mirkin outlined the RICE method in his 1978 Sportsmedicine Book, coaches and heathcare providers have used it on acute musculoskeletal injuries. Yet as The Sport Journal reveals, there’s no research to back up this claim. In fact, according to the paper written by Domenic Scialoia and Adam J. Swartzendruber, “ice and rest does not enhance the recovery process, but instead delays recovery and may result in further damage to the tissue.” What’s more, Gabe Mirkin himself recanted his position on the treatment in 2015.
 
In place of RICE, the authors recommend “active recovery.” This method, too, has a catchy acronym – MEAT – which stands for movement, exercise, analgesia and treatment.
 
To read the full report, click here.

Editor’s note: What’s your take on this sports-injury recommendation? To post your opinion, go to the headline of this piece and click on the line "[#] comments." Fill out the comments form and click “SUBMIT.” Your comment will be posted just beneath the article.