We all just need some PEACE & LOVE to heal

As the research increases for acute injuries like sprains and strains, the acronym for first treatment has changed as well. “R.I.C.E. and M.E.T.H.” (“rest, ice, compression, elevation” and “movement, exercise. traction, heat”) are now a much friendlier “P.E.A.C.E. & L.O.V.E.”

When an injury happens, the best initial care is to keep the PEACE for the first 24-72 hours. PEACE breaks down as:

P - protect the injured area from re-injury

E - elevate above the level of the heart to keep swelling down

A - avoid ant-inflammatories as it will reduce the swelling cycle and inhibit the pain receptors which could promote movements that could re-injure.

C - compress with elastic bands or tape

E - educate on how the injury will progress and what the expected time of recovery is.

After 72 hours have passed from the injury we can give that injury some LOVE to get it to heal back to normal. LOVE means to:

L - load the injured joint again starting low and gradually increasing weight

O - optimism that the injury will get better with some proper training

V - vascularization of the injured area by completing endurance type movements and exercises to increase the blood flow to keep the area

E - exercise to increase the strength and balance of the area which will get it back to feeling normal.

You may ask why icing has been taken out of the healing stage of acute injury? The studies show that icing an acute injury will reduce the normal swelling which can impact the good parts of your body’s response to injury. Those beneficial aspects of swelling include getting fresh blood to the tissues and bringing in new white blood cells to fight any bacteria or damaged tissue. Ice can still be very beneficial for other injuries such as when swelling gets out of control and starts compressing nerves and blood vessels. This is called “compartment syndrome” and ice can be beneficial to reduce the swelling.

If you want to read more about “PEACE & LOVE” you can follow the link below to download a free article:

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/2/72.abstract

Peaceful and lovely healing!

Dr. Cole Maranger, DC