MICE Principles For Sports Injury: Alternatives of RICE

MICE Principle Introduction

• In any injury, the starting phase of Physiotherapy treatment, is the middle between rest and motion called MICE.
• It is used in the home treatment of any injury.
• It is of great importance for quick recovery and minimize the pain.
• It is easy and good for health.
• Alternatives Option for Sports Injury related treatment

Meaning of MICE

• M – Motion
• I – Ice
• C – Compression
• E -Elevation

How to Use MICE Principle?

• MICE is used in the starting phase of injury but used in unaffected parts of the body, e.g. When ankle strain or sprain occurs MICE is used in hip and knee movement.
• Because of that unaffected part movement is important for healthy muscle.
• After some time when the recovery occurs in the affected part means inflammation, redness, and swelling reduction MICE procedure should be followed for the affected part.

M – MOTION

• Motion means movement
• For starting phase of injury exercise of unaffected part
• ROM exercise [ try to full Range of motion ]
• Isometric exercise
• For lower limb try to partial weight bearing without stress on affected part [ like as when ankle injury occurs writing the alphabet with your foot ]
• All exercise is repetition of 5 times in starting then gradually increase the repetition of exercise.
• All this exercise is prevent the wasting of the muscle of unaffected part.

• If feel the pain during exercise, immediately on that time stop the exercise and rest for 20 or 30 seconds if pain disappears after 20 or 30 second exercise continue once again.

• When the recovery occurs in the affected part after that start the affected part exercise :
• First Isometric exercise of the affected part.
• After that ROM exercise start [in partial ROM ]
• When pain is reduced then try to full ROM exercise [ take to advice physiotherapist ]
• All exercise is repetition of 5 times in starting then gradually increase the repetition of exercise.

• If feel the pain during exercise, suddenly on that time stop the exercise and rest for 20 or 30 seconds if pain disappears after 20 or 30 second exercise continue once again
• If the pain is persist , rest for 24 hour and apply ice pack on sight of pain for 10 minutes.

So between rest and normal motion use the M of MICE.

I – ICE :

• Anything frozen can be applied directly to the injury site as soon as possible [ such as ice, ice pack, frozen peas ]
• Ice reduces bleeding and swelling of the injury, because ice reduces the blood flow to the area slowing down blood circulation, and also relaxes the area.
• Mostly use the ice pack because it is cheap and effective for injury.
• Ice is wrapped in cloth to prevent skin burns.
• Ice is applied for limited periods of time [ 5 minutes for small area and 15 -20 minutes for large area ] basically ice is used foe 10 minutes.
• If the ice apply more time then body compensate temperature by pumping more blood into the injury area and sign of more blood in area is red or pinkish skin .
• If u see the red or pinkish skin of injury area immediately remove the ice.
• Ice can be re-applied once body temperature become normal.
• Ice is also use after the exercise because it is reduce pain and give relaxation.

So ice is important for reduce pain and swelling.

C – COMPRESSION :

• Compression should be applied to the site of injury as soon as possible for reduce bleeding.
• Compression is also help to reduce swelling and speed up the recovery time.
• Compression is applied by firm pad over the injury site with a strapping around it for hold the pad in injury site .
• We can also use tubi-grip type bandage for compression but it is apply compression all the limb.
• Ideally compression is applied only for injury site.
• Bandage or pad is not tight for body part because it is minimize the blood flow the other area.

So compression is important for reduce bleeding, swelling.

E -ELEVATION

• Elevation is help to decrease the swelling with the use of gravity.
• Elevation is also reduced blood pressure to the injured tissues.
• It is also applied direct after injury.
• For elevation lifting the injured area help of comfortable support [ use the pillow ] .
• Ideally elevation is above the height of the heart.
• Ex. If the injury is in your hand, put your palm up .
• Best time of elevation is sleeping.
• Elevation is removed after reduce swelling.

So elevation is important for reduce swelling.

So MICE is important for reduce pain in home and help to recovery fast provide option as an Alternative to RICE.