At long last the summer sports are in full swing.  Baseball, Soccer, Rugby, Track and Field, Football, Lacrosse… the list goes on and on.  Whether you are a seasoned veteran or trying a new sport for the first time you are probably going to need to look after an injury of one sort or another.  Following is a guideline of how to properly care for these injuries. 

Please remember this is by no means a substitute for a professional exam based opinion.  When in doubt consult a healthcare professional.

During the first 48- 72 hours after injury, controlling and reducing swelling is the most important factor.  Sometimes it is virtually impossible to evaluate the extent of an injury until the swelling has reduced.  The acronym R.I.C.E. will help with this. 

R-rest

First you want to rest the area, an ankle cannot heal if you keep re-injuring it.  Use splits, slings or crutches.  Only allow movement that is pain free.   

I-ice

Icing is the second step.  For best results apply crushed ice 20 minutes on and 40 minutes off.  Always place a damp cloth in between the ice bag and your skin and monitor for frostbite.  You can do this as many times in a day as you want but give the area time to warm up in between applications. 

C-compress

The next step is compression.  A basic elastic bandage will do a good job.  Do not wrap the bandage to tight.  Always make sure you have feeling in the area past the bandage.  Also lightly squeeze the tips of each finger or toe, if it takes longer than 2 seconds for the pink colour to return to the area the bandage is too tight.  Finally, never wear an elastic bandage over night, the injured area could swell and cut off the blood supply to the rest of the limb. 

E-elevate

Elevation is the last component.  You want to keep the area elevated higher than your heart as much as possible. 

If you follow these procedures you should start to get rid of the swelling to that area.  After that you need to start rehabilitation maximize healing and prevent future injury.  Your Chiropractor, Physiotherapist or Athletic Trainer will be able to help you with that.