RICE Is Good At-Home Care for Injured Feet
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If a friend or family member tells you that a podiatrist has recommended RICE for the treatment of a foot or ankle injury, you might wonder what eating a popular starchy food has to do with foot health. The answer is that it doesn’t. In this context, RICE isn’t something you eat. It’s an acronym for an effective set of steps that you can take to speed healing of hurt muscles, ligaments, and tendons at home.
Rest: You’ve got to get off your feet to give swelling a chance to go down. For many people, this is the hardest step, but it’s critical that you rest for 24-48 hours after an injury. Put your feet up. Let everyone else take care of you for a change!
Ice: Cold from an ice bag (or even a pack of frozen vegetables) will reduce bruising and swelling. While you rest, apply ice for 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off. Remember to protect skin by placing a towel or cloth between your skin and the ice.
Compression: Wrapping a medical bandage around the injury will reduce swelling and inflammation. Be careful not to wrap too tightly! If you start to feel tingling sensations, relax the wrapping slightly.
Elevation: Let gravity help you draw blood from the area by propping your feet up on a pillow. This will also help reduce swelling and speed your recovery.
If you’ve hurt your foot or ankle, the first thing you should do is to see your podiatrist for accurate diagnosis and an effective treatment plan which may or may not include RICE at home. Your board-certified podiatrist is an expert with years of experience and will be able to help you.
Are you concerned about your foot health?
Here at The Texas Foot Specialists, Dr. Bruce Miller and Dr. Gregory Mangum provide expert and specialized care to address all of your foot and ankle needs. From conservative to advanced surgical treatments, you can always count on us for quality and compassionate care. Contact us online to make an appointment at one of our conveniently located offices in Sugar Land, Pasadena or Houston.