In emergency please contact 111 and seek immediate medical attention.
Acute Injury Management
An acute injury is an injury that has just happened at first instant. Typically there will be pain and swelling. It is important that acute injuries are acted upon as soon as possible as it greatly enhances prognosis and recovery time.
Injuries for the first 48-72 hours are managed using the ‘RICE’ principle.
Rest
Rest from activity to avoid further stress to injured tissues.
Ice
Ice the injured area. This helps reduce pain and swelling. We advise icing for 10 minutes at least 4 times a day for the first 48 hours.
Compression
Add compression to the injured site. This can be done using compressive bandage wrap or compression stocking such as Tubigrip. Compression helps reduce swelling and pain associated with swelling.
Elevation
Elevate your injured body part so that it is higher than your heart. Again, this is to reduce swelling which will also help pain.