RICE

RICE = Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate – the rules of treating a sprained ankle. I know this because I Googled “sprained ankle treatment” out of necessity. The treatment sounds simple, but let me tell you, from first-hand experience, it is harder than it seems.

Rest – Sounded great at first. I came home from work mid-afternoon on Friday after the unfortunate fall which resulted in THE sprained ankle and got into bed. A long afternoon nap followed by an early bedtime appeared luxurious, until the novelty wore off. Forty-eight hours after my injury (forty-four of those hours spent in bed) I am bored and ready to do something, anything, but rest.

Ice – Ice keeps the swelling down. Ice is also very, very cold. Ice is wonderful when shaken with vodka, but on one's foot it is not nearly as fun. Trying to position the ice pack on the outer side of one’s ankle is difficult, leaving it there for the prescribed twenty minutes is nearly impossible without visions of frostbite and the Byrd Expedition running through my head.

Compression – A simple ace bandage does this trick. This also keeps the swelling down as well as protecting the injured area. From the internet: “The wrap should be snug, but not cutting off circulation to the extremity. So, if your toes become cold, blue, or tingle – re-wrap!” Define “snug,” please! I spent the greater part of my waking hours comparing the color of the toes on my wrapped foot to the color of the toes on my other foot, and asking my husband, “Do they look blue to you?”

Elevate – Again, for the swelling. “A few pillows under the ankle should be fine to get the leg up enough while keeping the injured limb comfortable.” There is no such thing as comfortable! It is impossible to prop up one’s ankle without hyper-extending the knee. Another pillow under the knee helps, but every time I move I cause a pillow avalanche.

After all of this treatment my ankle is still sore, swollen, and bruised. I can’t walk without the aid of crutches and we are running out of ice. Surely this can’t last too much longer. I’m sure I’ll be fine just in time to return to work on Monday morning. What a way to spend the weekend.