Forgive me for the gap in posting. I enjoyed a lovely vacation with my family and some great friends in beautiful Moab, UT. We visited both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. I highly recommend both. While I had a wonderful time, I definitely over did it. Hiking in an air cast is a challenging thing to do. This forced me to use one of the age old principals of injury care that I thought I would remind us all of...
Rest- You want to stay off the injured area as much as possible over the next 48-72 hours
Ice- First covering the area with a cloth or other material to prevent frostbite and irritation of the skin, then applying either a bag of frozen peas or an ice pack to the injured area. Ice for 20 minutes and then off. Repeat this for the next 4-6 hours.
Compression- Wrap the injured area in a snug, (but not tight) pressure bandage or other gauze wrap
Elevation- Raise the injured area above the level of the heart, this may mean laying down and propping the foot or arm, etc. up on a pillow or chair
You may also have seen this as HI-RICE. The H stands for heat, and the I for ibuprofen. While you may want to take ibuprofen (or another NSAID-non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) for both pain and inflammation, it is best to wait until the inflammation has receded. Then you can alternate heat and ice.
As an active individual, you will almost surely come across a time when you will need to apply this principal. It is very helpful and easy to remember, and when used immediately following a minor injury, it can shorten your recovery time. Each piece is equally important and should not be skipped. Your body will benefit and thank you.
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