Should We Ice Injuries?
The Received Wisdom
For decades, the standard advice for a soft tissue injury has been RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. You see it in sports halls, first aid manuals, and online. Athletes sit with ice packs strapped to injured ankles. It seems obvious and sensible.
But should we actually be icing injuries?
The Evidence Is Changing
We now have a growing body of research showing that ice only provides pain relief – it does not offer any benefit to the healing process itself.