RECOVERING FROM SOFT TISSUE INJURIES

SOFT tissue injuries are an unfortunate and annoying part of life which most commonly involve muscles and ligaments, e.g. strains and sprains. Knowing what to do when you hurt yourself is key to a quick and successful recovery. To help remember what to do the acronym of PEACE and LOVE has been created to summarise what the current evidence supports. So what does this involve? In the first 1 - 3 days, the body is in an acute state of injury, PEACE is used to help settle this down and begin the road to recovery.

Protection: avoid pushing into painful movements or activities in initial stages postinjury.

Elevation: Keep the injured area elevated above the heart as much as possible.

Avoid anti-inflammatories: Inflammation is the body’s way of healing. Using ice and anti-inflammatories can positively impact pain but can negatively impact the healing process.

Compression: Use an elastic bandage or taping to reduce swelling.

Education: Listen to what your body is telling you, avoid unnecessary scans and passive treatments.

&After the initial PEACE stage LOVE is used to allow full recovery from injury. In this stage, it can be very beneficial to have a health professional to assist you with your recovery.