METH vs RICE.
Which is better for your athletes?
Agressive treatment for minor injuries like ankle strains is not new. I recall our physiotherapist at University of Saskatchewan walking athletes immediately on ankle sprains as one method for faster recovery. That was in the 1990s.
Coaches without medical training should defer to their most trusted experts on this issue.
RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) is a term that is synonymous with treating athletic injuries. Ice has been the gold standard for injuries and sore muscles since Dr. Mirkin coined it in 1978 from his sports medicine book. …
Ice will control the pain from injury, that relief only lasts between 20-30 minutes. There are many other things that we can do to control pain and not impede the healing process. The research is now saying that if you delay or inhibit inflammation, you will also delay your healing. …
Gabe Mirkin himself has changed his opinion:
On March 16, 2014, he wrote “Coaches have used my ‘RICE’ guideline for decades, but now it appears that both Ice and complete Rest may delay healing, instead of helping.
Ice is very effective for reducing pain for 20-30 minutes. And it’s still recommended for other purposes:
What about Ice baths and in between tournaments?
The evidence seems to support use for ice in this instance.
related – Another RICE alternative: MEAT (Movement, Exercise, Analgesics and Treatments).
Thanks John.
