Rethinking an old remedy
The use of ice for musculoskeletal injuries has come under scrutiny as research shows that ice interferes with the healing process. Further, ice affects the nervous system in ways that decrease coordination, speed, and muscle strength.
Dr Gabe Mirkin, creator of the RICE protocol (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) has also been spreading the word that the use of ice should be abandoned.
While research suggests that ice can be used for pain relief, its use in that regard needs to be carefully weighed against the detrimental effects of that choice. Given that there are other avenues for dealing with pain, ice should be the last resort for pain control.
In light of this new research, Jennifer Denys and Rebecca Dietzel have created a protocol that offers a new strategy for dealing with an injury. This website is a means to present this protocol as well as the research that underlies its foundation. We encourage you to read the research as we did and draw your own conclusions about the use of ice for injuries. The document presented here is the result of our understanding of this research, integrating these studies into a practical application.