Blog |

R.I.C.E. is SLOWING your recovery

A large aspect of health is reducing the amount of inflammation we are exposed to, and the management of inflammation is especially important for an injury. Majority of our patients complain about painful inflammations, sprains, tendinitises, arthroses, rheumatic challenges, and etc.

The problem: The traditional model of R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) hinders the anti-inflammatory, recovery process! Are you making yourself suffer longer?

Why is RICE wrong? This is the scoop:

Icing is best done during the first subphase of the vascular phase (1st stage of inflammation), which lasts 12-24 hours. Icing can help manage the effects of the consequent local vasoconstriction, which is great during this phase, but it is a shortlived phase.

During the second subphase, there is a vasodilation of the microvasculature, with an increase of heat and redness, and this should be favored…

Inflammation is much like a natural disaster or war. After the event, there needs to be a clean up crew for the dead soldiers or debris.

What is a better therapeutic method to deal with inflammation?

Liquid articular pumping. Pumping accelerates the cellular (leukocytes, monotocyte delivery), hormonal influence towards the articulation, and regeneration (reconstruction of the synovial membrane) phases. Icing delays these processes, and should be used as a local analgesia otherwise, or immediately after an injury.

Further review of the inflammatory mechanism

1.Vascular phase:

  • The first subsection involves a modification of local vasoconstrictors, leading to plasma exudate and therefore oedema. To reiterate, icing is the best in this moment.
  • The second sub-phase is a vasodilation of the microvasculature, with an increase of heat and redness. To promote this phase requires liquid articular pumping. What do we want to pump? Pump the synovial, lymphatic, vein, tube of collagen in the ligament, etc.

2.Cellular Phase

  • Leukocytes need to be brought to the traumatized area to fight against the immediate accentuation of inflammation.
  • Macrophages need to circulate to improve in the elimination of the inherent waste products of the leukocytic action. Macrophages are large immune agents that consume garbage!
  • Liquid articular pumping, again, promotes the transportation of these defenders, soldiers.

3.Regeneration Phase

  • This phase is dependent on the type of inflammation: is it arthritis, arthrosis, hemorrhagic, catarrhal, serofibrous, or purulent in origin?
  • This phase allows the principle reconstruction of the synovial membrane, where we wish to avoid a harmful development in the articulation, like a pannus, a degeneration of the articular cartilage, or a degeneration of the chondrocytes leading to destruction of the subchondral bone. In order to do this, the body needs to bring amino acids to help repair the affected site.
  • The rehabiltation of the movement of an articulation can be accelerated with specific mobilization techniques, such as osteo-articular pumping.

Why Pumping?

Recovery depends on the hormones, and pumping accentuates the delivery of hormonal mediators to promote healing of inflammation.

So What is Pumping?

A painless manual treatment which requires knowledge of the fascia, the biomechanics, and the Primary Respiratory Mechanism.

A skilled therapist may use their hands to create a gradient of pressure to promote the movement of liquid through a specific tendon, ligament, joint, capsule, bursa, etc.

Where to receive treatment?

Contact us if you are interested in receiving treatment for your chronic mis-managed problems. We are located in the Bay Area, but we can help you locate a trained and qualified therapist in your area.

previous-next-image
Previous Post

ACL Tears, Ligamentous strain

READ MORE
previous-next-image
Next Post

About Jaron

READ MORE