
My name is Emma and I am a chiropractor at Lushington Chiropractic Clinic in Eastbourne. As a chiropractor in Eastbourne, I regularly see patients with minor sports injuries. Most people have heard of the PRICE acronym which stands for protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation. However, recent research shows that this should only be adopted for around 48 hours after injury. Therefore, the British Journal of Sports Medicine have introduced a new acronym – PEACE & LOVE.
The PEACE part of the acronym is targeted towards the acute stage of injury – up to a few days after it has happened.
P – Protection
Protect the injury from too much movement by unloading it. This is important for the first few days post-injury to prevent further damage to the tissues and aggravate symptoms. However, it’s important not to unload the area of injury for too long as this can result in a reduction of tissue strength and altered movement patterns.
E – Elevation
Try and keep the injured limb elevated above the level of the heart as much as possible. For example, if you have an ankle sprain, try to keep the affected ankle propped up using pillows when sitting or lying down. This can easily be achieved at night by using pillows to elevate the ankle in bed at night and sleeping on your back.
A – Avoid Anti-Inflammatories for Acute Injuries
Although it is commonly thought that anti-inflammatories are helpful for minor injuries, it is now recommended to avoid anti-inflammatory medications (e.g. ibuprofen) for the 48 hours following injury. This is because these medications reduce the natural inflammation process triggered by the body which is necessary for healing.
C – Compression
Although anti-inflammatories are no longer recommended, using a compression bandage may still help control the swelling.
E – Education
It is very important for people to know how to manage their injuries. Education also gives people the confidence to get moving again when their pain levels reduce and their body tells them they are ready, which improves healing time.
The LOVE part of the acronym is important when the acute stage of the injury has passed – usually a few days after the initial trauma.
L – Load
It is important to begin loading your injury and get back to normal activities. As your pain levels decrease, your body will allow you to begin loading the injury. If you have a minor sports injury and would like more specific exercises to help strengthen the affected joint, this is something your chiropractor in Eastbourne can help you with. Depending on the location of the injury, a chiropractor can give you different exercises to help improve the range of motion of the joint, stretch and/or strengthen necessary muscles and improve balance and coordination. All of these exercises will help to strengthen the area of injury and reduce the likelihood of the injury reoccurring.
O – Optimism
It’s very important to remain optimistic throughout the healing process! If you are worried about aggravating your symptoms and subsequently avoid getting back on your feet and carrying out your normal activities, you may unintentionally prolong the healing process. It is important to listen to your body, and as long as movement and activity don’t aggravate your symptoms, it’s important to get back to doing whatever it is you enjoy!
V – Vascularisation
Cardiovascular exercise is great for increasing blood flow which will help to repair the tissues. So, depending on the injury, why not go for a swim or a cycle along the coast in Eastbourne. If you are a gym-goer, it is still possible to go and just avoid the exercises that may aggravate your injury. If you are unsure, your chiropractor in Eastbourne will be able to give you some advice on this.
E – Exercise
The last point is exercise, although really, we have already covered this in the ‘load’ section. Exercises help to restore range of motion, strength and proprioception in order to reduce the chance of a recurrent injury, which is what your chiropractor will assist you with.
I hope this helps make the protocol for recovering from minor sports injuries a little bit clearer!
If you are local to Eastbourne and struggling with a minor sports injury that you think a chiropractor may be able to help you with, or have any questions that you would like to ask a chiropractor in Eastbourne, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Lushington Chiropractic Clinic, Eastbourne and I’d be happy to help you.
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By Emma Johnson
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