RICE: Yes or No

[physiomitch]

I guess one of the problems with our modern day demands on top sportsmen and women, is the need or perceived need to do more to get more, so they are trying to find ways of disguising or hiding the normal reactions to exercise, and pushing the body beyond its naturallimits. Interesting research done 10+years ago showed the white blood cell count, after rising during exercise, fall to below normal levels and only recovers to normal resting levels 48 hours after exercise. I will be surprised if this is altered by icing or ice baths. Thisis typically eveidenced in runners training for marathons who when they reduce their training in the last 2 weeks before a marathon, often come down with flu or some similar condition, as there is now nothing to kick the immune system into higher rates than normal. In essence, exercising every day, can lead to slow but sure fatigue and weakening of the immune system. Makes you wonder why the lifespan of a top athlete or player these days is so short. There seems to be more concern getting athletes back on the track ASAP after the last session, that the long-term effects are ignored. Still not sure something unnatural can be healthy in the long-term.

Pete

[feroz]

RICE is updated PRICE is the best principle for the treatment of soft tissue injury

[Canuck Physio]

This is an interesting topic area up to much debate,

Additionally some research suggests that it is in fact chronic inflammation that is the cause or the pre-emptive strike on the human body that leads to accelerated aging, and chronic disease.

Although free radicals are normal byproducts of metabolism, they are very active chemicals and can damage the inside of your cells, causing inflammation. Inflammation is the hallmark of many chronic diseases including Alzheimer’s.

It is also normal after exercise for there to be suvere immune depression, and the object of nutritional therapy combined with exericse therapy is often to increase cellular glutathione levels for instance to quench these free radicals.

It appears to me that along with physical manipulation, cryotherapy, and other modalities to healing, intrinsic anti-oxidant quenchers must be increased as well.