P.E.A.C.E & L.O.V.E. Aren’t just a slogan for the 60’s
Our last blog explored why the R.I.C.E. principal is a little outdated and ways to adjust your post injury recovery. This entry will focus on managing soft tissue injuries beyond the short term damage control.
PEACE is a mnemonic used in the rehabilitation field, representing Protect, Elevate, Avoid anti-inflammatories, Compression, and Education.
P: protecting the area can simply mean, modifying your movements and the activities that you do on a daily basis as rule of thumb. I tell my clients to keep their pain level below 3-4 out of 10. Things to protect can include soft splits, or temporary bracing.
E: Elevation after the first few days can be important to help control, excessive swelling, but you still want to get up and move as frequently as you can
A: avoiding anti-inflammatories, very similar to avoiding ice. It can reduce your body’s ability to participate in the natural inflammatory process that is needed to heal.
C: Compression can reduce additional swelling, especially when you are up and moving more. Gravity has a tendency to pull fluid toward the floor so extremities can become more swollen up and about.
E: education is very important on understanding the healing process for your particular injury. Most injuries don’t completely heal with any quick fixes. They often can turn into chron if not addressed properly in the beginning. Active participation in your recovery, always trump’s passive rest and modalities.
The love component consist of Loading, Optimism, Vascularization, and Exercise.
L: identifying the appropriate load and dose for proper tissue healing and remodeling is important. Having a qualified healthcare professional will help you figure this out without without progress.
O: having optimism and a positive outlook on your recovery is very important. The brain is a powerful tool, and if used to your advantage will accelerate your healing process tremendously. If you were confused about how to take care of your injury or if it’s severe enough to affect your day-to-day life, thoughts and feelings of depression can negatively impact your recovery. Speaking with your support system or other healthcare providers can really help you in this area.
Vascularization is crucial as it involves enhancing the circulation of healthy blood to the targeted area. The most effective approach to achieve this is through engaging in physical activity, complemented by the utilization of certain specialized modalities. Dry needling, IASTM, cupping, and shockwave therapy are all beneficial choices for this purpose.
E: Exercise seems like the natural and obvious choice for the last E but it’s not a simple as it sounds. All exercise is not created equal and some exercises have specific focus. For example, some exercises are important for improving body awareness. Some are good for endurance some are good for strength or power.
In summary here are the keys to success after an acute injury:
Early mobility is key.
Avoid ice and ibuprofen so you do not slow down the healing process.
Keep a positive mindset you will get through this especially you seek the appropriate help.
Resting too long without appropriate discovery activities can cause re-injury upon returning to activity.
Keep your movements, in tolerable ranges. Avoid too much too soon.
Keep the blood flow moving, so your body can clear out the junk and bring in the good.
I hope this information is helpful for allowing you to quickly and safely recover from any future, acute injuries that may occur. If you or anyone you care about, has found this helpful and would like further information on how to recover from a recent injury feel free to reach out. 502-496-6214.
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