$Unique_ID{BRK00758}
$Pretitle{Accidents, Poisoning, and Violence}
$Title{A Little "RICE" for a Knee Injury}
$Subject{knee football first aid RICE}
$Volume{O-17}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


A Little "RICE" for a Knee Injury


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QUESTION:  I took a real bang on my knee in a game of touch football.  Lucky
for me our local volunteer ambulance guys were there, and the EMT told me he
would use a little "RICE" on my injury.  Everyone laughed, but I didn't get
the joke, then or now.  Do you know what they were chuckling about?

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ANSWER:  It is pretty hard to remember all the elements in treating many
injuries and diseases, and those of us who have to keep these matters fresh in
our minds resort to the use of "mnemonic" devices.  These are words, or
phrases that use letters as clues to help our memories recall important
information that can be used in a variety of situations.  I would suppose your
injury was not too acute, permitting a bit of levity, but "RICE" refers to the
steps in the early treatment of an injured joint.  They are Rest, Ice,
Compression and Elevation.  This would apply to your situation, placing your
knee at rest, application of a cold or ice pack, applying an elastic bandage
and keeping the leg elevated.  Another mnemonic useful in these situations is
PRICEM-M which stands for Protection from stress, Ice, Compression, Elevation,
plus Medical treatment, including pain and anti-inflammatory medications, and
Modalities, the use of electric stimulation or other techniques to help
restore function.  In these cases "rest" means the avoidance of any overuse or
abuse of the joint, while normal activities of daily living are encouraged.
RICE is fine for the acute stage, but rehabilitation techniques are used to
promote rapid healing and restoration of function.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
