PRICE Principles For Injury

PRICE Principle Introduction

• PRICE is important for after injury on primary basis.
• PRICE is important for an acute or recent injury of the initial period up to 72 hours.
• PRICE therapy is the best way to treat milder joint sprains and muscle strains.
• PRICE is used in home treatment and primary treatment of any injury.
• PRICE is most important for quick recovery and decrease the pain.
• PRICE is easy and good for health.

Goal of PRICE principle

• The goal during this injury time [first 48 – 72 hours ] frame is to control the amount of swelling to the injured area, prevent further injury, and reduce pain.

PRICE Means

• P – Protection
• R -Rest
• I – Ice
• C – Compression
• E -Elevation

Use of PRICE principle

• PRICE procedure is follow direct after injury [ such as the first 24-48 hours after the injury, depending on the severity. ]
• Because it is help the healing .
• Mostly used in sport injury .

P-PROTECTION :

P-PROTECTION :Protection Means preventing the injured area from suffering pain and further damage .

• For protection used varies type devices depending on the injured area.
• In devices include an ace bandage, aluminum splint, sling, protective tape, or over-the-counter brace.
• These devices are applied on injured part so that the injured structures are protected from further injury.
• These devices are supports to limit the stresses on the injured area .
• These devices is also help to prevent movement of joint [ such as in ankle sprain use of ankle brace prevent the movement of inversion eversion ]
• Protection is also reduce the weight bearing on the injured area .

• For ex if the injury in leg ; cane & crutches help to reduce weight bearing on injured area and prevent form further damage .
• For primary basis used the slings , splints and brace , which is also used in conservative treatment of fracture ; it is also part of protection .
• POP [ Plaster of Paris ] treatment of fracture also part of Protection and POP is most protective devices for protection , which is applied on serious injuries .
• so protection is most important for any injury on starting phase .

So Protection is most important for prevent damage.

REST :

• Rest means don’t use the joint after injury , no movement of the joint .
• Rest means reducing your regular physical activity .
• It is apply direct after injury as soon as possible .
• It is help the healing and reduce the pain .
• In Rest patient should avoid activities that stress the injured area to the point of pain .
• Rest is limit the increased circulation and inflammation to the area.
• If increase in movement of an injured tissue results in increased circulation to the area which in turn may result in further damage to the injured tissue or increased swelling.
• But Some movement is beneficial in Rest Gentle, pain-free range-of-motion and basic isometric contractions of the joints.
• For rest use the pillow or any other things .
• Sleeping position is mostly used in rest.
• For Athletes totally rest is not good for their game for Athletes in rest they used to crutches, splints and slings .
• But they try to partial-weight bearing for leg by crutches or cane to prevent the further damage .
• Rest is prevent the muscle damage further .
• It is also gain the energy which is used in repair the injury.

So rest is importance for healing the tissue .

I – ICE :

• Anything frozen used directly to the injury site as soon as possible [ such as ice, ice pack, frozen peas ]
• Ice is reduces bleeding and swelling of the injury , because ice is reduce blood flow to the area means slowing down blood circulation, and also relaxes the area .
• Ice is also reduce the pain .
• Ice is effective at reducing the inflammation caused by an injury.
• Mostly use the ice pack because it is cheap and effective for injury and ice packs are made of crushed ice & the crushed ice is more comfortable for the injury side
• A light barrier should be placed between the skin and the ice bag (paper towel) to prevent injury to the skin during the application of the ice.
• But please check the ice pack is closely in contact with your skin. If there are small air-gaps you won’t get the cold effect you are looking for.
• 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 reduced pain and give relaxation .
• On whole day Cycles of 10 to 15 minutes on and 1 to 2 hours off are generally agreed upon as effective and safer than longer periods of continuous ice application.

So Ice Pack (Cold Pack) 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 and also provides mild support.
• Compression is apply an external force to the injured tissue.
• 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 .
• We can also use the elastic bandage , Crepe bandages for compression .

• We can use varies type of number of sizes (2”, 3”, 4”, and 6”) elastic bandage depend on injured part .
• 2″ – adult’s wrist/hand or a child’s ankle,
• 3″ & 4″ – adult’s ankle or elbow. ,
• 6 ” – the thigh for a quadriceps or hamstring injury.
• Elastic bandage is applied directly to the skin by starting a few inches below the injury and wrapping in a figure eight or spiraling manner to a few inches above the injured area .
• In elastic bandage a medium amount of tension should be applied to provide ample, but not too constrictive compression.
• If The bandage cause numbness, tingling, or color change of the soft tissue so quickly release the bandage
• Bandage or pad is not tight for body part because it is minimize the blood flow the other area .
• Best time to remove or significantly loosen the elastic bandage for sleeping .

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 .
• Elevation is may limit the loss of range of motion, possibly speeding up recovery time.
• It is also applied direct after injury .
• Elevation is most effective in the initial 24 to 48 hours of injury to reduce swelling .
• 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 swelling has reduced.

So elevation is important for reducing swelling.

So PRICE is important for reducing pain at home and recovery help.

So PRICE is important for primary treatment and help to healing the injury.