Peace and love were all the rage int the 1960s and 1970s, but is a resurgence on the way? Many foot specialists feel like PEACE and LOVE should replace RICE when it comes to managing ankle sprains and other mild to moderate foot injuries. Below, we take a closer look at all these acronyms and explain why PEACE and LOVE may be making a comeback.
PEACE LOVE and RICE
First, let’s start by looking at RICE before we explain why PEACE and LOVE may be the new acronyms to remember when it comes to caring for your injured ankle. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. This is a pretty standard course of care, but medical experts felt like they could improve upon this model, as these are all rather passive treatment techniques. Instead, they are pushing for PEACE, which stands for:
P — Protect the injured area by limiting movement for a couple of days.
E —Elevate the limb to reduce swelling through gravitational force.
A — Anti-inflammatory medicines and ice to bring down swelling.
C— Compression bandages, tape or specific socks to limit swelling, being careful not to cut off circulation.
E — Educate yourself with information needed to treat the injury or see a doctor for additional support.
PEACE is pretty similar to RICE, but it’s LOVE that drives home recovery. LOVE stands for:
L – Loading the injured area at the earliest with controlled stress.
O – Optimistic mindset for recovery, which can actually help speed up recovery time.
V – Vascularization increases to bring healthy blood to the injured area.
E – Engage in simple exercises to bring back mobility, flexibility and tissue tolerance.
We have to say, we love that LOVE is entering the picture when it comes to ankle injury management. Far too often people assume that rest alone is what is needed after an injury. Your body can heal itself, but it typically can’t get back to a pre-injury level of strength and fitness without proactive measures, like loading the area and engaging in simple exercises to restore function. Add on blood flow improvements and an optimistic mindset, and we think LOVE may truly be all you need to make a strong recovery after an ankle injury. So the next time you’re injured, give PEACE and LOVE and chance!