Why we need Peace and Love?

19 Feb Why we need Peace and Love?

Many of us have probably heard of the RICE/PRICE method (Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) or the Police method (protection, optimal loading, ice compression, and elevation)when dealing with acute soft injury rehabilitation and management.

These methods focus on the acute management of soft tissue injuries but do not really provide information on the sub-acute and chronic stages of soft tissue healing. Research now suggests using the Peace and Love method for recovery. These new acronyms include all the information needed for soft tissue injury management from immediate care to subsequent management. this method emphasises the importance of patient education and the need to address psychosocial factors that aid recovery. Peace and Love also the highlights the potential harmful effects of using anti-inflammatory medication.

So how does Peace and Love aid your recovery?

Immediately after a soft issue injury has occurred, you need to utilise the Peach approach for first 1 -3 days of recovery.

P = Protect

• To protect the injured area you will need unload or restrict any movement for about 1 -3 days, this will reduce bleeding, prevent distention of the injured tissue and reduces the risk of aggravating the injury.
• Minimise your rest period, as prolonged rest can compromise the tissues strength and quality.
• You should also let the pain you are experiencing indicated when you should remove the protection and gradually reload.

E = Elevate

• You need to elevate the injured limb, to rest higher than the heart, to reduce the build-up of fluid around the injury.

A = Avoid the use of anti-inflammatories.

• Inflammation around the injured area is vital to the healing process in the early stages of recovery. Taking any anti-inflammatory medication to reduce inflammation can have a negative effective on the long term healing of the tissue, thus impairing the healing process.
• The use of ice should also be avoid, as there is little research showing its effectiveness in the healing process. Using ice to reducing the inflammation can potentially interfere with tissue repair.

C = compression

• Taping or bandages to compress the area may help in the decrease in swelling of the injury.

E = Education

• Manual therapist such as Osteopaths can educate patients about the benefits of an active approach to recovery. Thus allowing the patient to understand their injury, prevent overuse and overtreatment, and understand what is to be expected with their recovery.

Once Peace is achieved you can focus on Love-ing your soft tissue. You can start the Love approach after the first days of the injury have passed

L = Load

• Active movement and exercise involving optimal loading (without increased pain) can help promote the repairing of the damaged tissue, as it helps with building tissue tolerance and strength via the tendons, muscle and ligaments.

O = Optimism

• “Mind over matter” does in fact impact on your healing as the brain plays a significant part in the rehabilitation process. Psychological factors such as catastrophising, depression and fear are barriers of recovery that can effect the soft tissue injury treatment and management. it is important that patients are realistic and have realistic expectations about their recovery.

V = Vascularisation

• Prescribing pain free cardiovascular activity is great motivator to patients, not only does it increase blood flow to the affected area, it improves the function of the area, reduces the need for painkillers, and allows patients to return to their daily activities quicker.

E = Exercise

• Once the above is achieved, exercise to help patients return to their daily activities can be introduced. Exercise should be completed without experiencing any Exercise therapy restores mobility, strength, proprioception (body’s ability to sense movement). It is also necessary to promote further healing and prevent reoccurrence of the injury. Gradually increasing the exercise intensity and difficulty shall promote optimal repair by restoring strength, mobility and function the affected area.

Peace & Love has been well researched and encompasses the many complexities of rehabilitation of soft tissue injuries, whilst Rice/Price and Police has been previously used, it seems to only factor in the short-term recovery, unlike Peace & Love which looks at both short- and long-term recovery of injuries.

Contact us at OsteoVision should you need any advice about soft tissue injuries and rehabilitation.

Call:     03303  904 300
Email:  info@osteovision.life
You can also book an appointment online at www.osteovision.life