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 reduce swelling .

So elevation is important for reduce swelling .

So PRICE is important for reduce pain in home and help to recovery fast .

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

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