Rice knee pain: Using RICE Treatment to Help Knee Pain

26.12.202108.06.2023 by alexxlab

Using RICE Treatment to Help Knee Pain

Posted on Nov 20, 2019, by The Kennedy Center

Whether it’s caused by an injury, arthritis or different medical condition, minor knee pain may be treated by simple self-care measures and precautions taken at home. The exact symptoms of knee pain are different for everyone, but they often present as a constant ache, sharp pain when in use, dull discomfort or even swelling.

RICE is often recommended as the first step to alleviate knee pain. Read on to learn more about the RICE knee treatment and when you should see a doctor.

What exactly is the RICE knee treatment?

In a nutshell, RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Combined, these fours steps can help reduce pain, minimize swelling and help heal your injury. However, if the pain and swelling continue to get worse, it’s time to see a doctor.

The RICE treatment Is a first step for many types of joint pain, from shoulders to knees to ankles.

Rest

The saying, “no pain, no gain,” does not apply to a knee injury. If you’ve injured your knee, rest is essential. Reduce activity level and avoid any activities that are causing the knee pain. If you have rested your knee and followed the RICE treatment for a week or two, and the pain still persists, it is time to visit your doctor.

Listening to your body is important. If an activity is causing you pain, continue to avoid it until your knee feels better. If the pain continues, feels worse or even different than usual, call your doctor. The longer you wait the more you risk the injury getting worse.

Ice

To heal knee pain, ice is the next important step in the RICE treatment. Place a bag of ice, cold pack or even a bag of frozen peas on the knee four to eight times a day, 20 minutes at a time. If the ice is too cold, place a towel between the cold pack and the knee.

Compression

The C in RICE for knee pain stands for compression. Use an elastic medical bandage around the injured knee to help with swelling. The bandage should be wrapped snugly, but not so tightly that it interferes with blood flow. Warning signs that the bandage is too tight are: if the skin below the knee starts to feel tingly or numb or the skin starts to turn blue. If either of these occur, loosen the bandage immediately.

Elevation

Last, but certainly not least, is elevation in RICE for knee treatment. Keep the injured knee raised above the heart as often as you can. This can help reduce the throbbing, swelling and even pain.

It might seem difficult to get your knee above your heart, but it’s not as tricky as it sounds. One way is to sit or lay down on the couch and prop the hurt leg up with pillows. For those who practice yoga, lay on the floor and put your knees up on a chair or ottoman.

When is it time to see a doctor for knee pain?

Unfortunately, some knee injuries require more than just the at-home RICE knee treatment. If you experience any of these more severe symptoms then it’s time to call a doctor.

The pain is severe and you can’t put any weight on your knee.
You can’t bend or move the knee.
Taking more than four steps causes severe pain.
There is numbness in or around the knee.
There is pain in a previously-injured knee.
The knee buckles when in use.
There are lumps or bumps other than general swelling.
The knee looks crooked.
If after you’ve tried the RICE method for more than a week and the pain or swelling continues, it’s time to call an orthopedic surgeon for an evaluation.

Questions about the the RICE treatment or the other options for treating knee pain? Contact our team at The Kennedy Center, click here.

Sources:

https://www.everydayhealth.com/knee-pain/knee-pain-rice-therapy.aspx

https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/rice-method-injuries

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RICE Method for Injuries (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

Medically Reviewed by Sanjay Ponkshe on May 06, 2023

Step 1: Rest
Step 2: Ice
Step 3: Compression
Step 4: Elevation
Treatments Used With RICE

If you’ve ever hurt your ankle or had another type of sprain or strain, chances are your doctor recommended rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) as one of your first treatments. The RICE method is a simple self-care technique that helps reduce swelling, ease pain, and speed up healing.

You can treat minor injuries with the RICE method at home. You might try it if you have an achy knee, ankle, or wrist after playing sports. If you have pain or swelling that gets worse or doesn’t go away, see a doctor.

The RICE method includes the following four steps:

Pain is your body’s signal that something is wrong. As soon as you’re hurt, stop your activity, and rest as much as possible for the first 2 days. Don’t try to follow the “no pain, no gain” philosophy. Doing so with certain injuries, like a moderate to severe ankle sprain, can make the damage worse and delay your recovery. Doctors say you should avoid putting weight on the injured area for 24 to 48 hours. Resting also helps prevent further bruising.

Ice is a tried-and-true tool for reducing pain and swelling. Apply an ice pack (covered with a light, absorbent towel to help prevent frostbite) for 15-20 minutes every two to three hours during the first 24 to 48 hours after your injury. Don’t have an ice pack? A bag of frozen peas or corn will work just fine.

This means wrapping the injured area to prevent swelling. Wrap the affected area with an elastic medical bandage (like an ACE bandage). You want it to be snug but not too tight — if it’s too tight, it’ll interrupt blood flow. If the skin below the wrap turns blue or feels cold, numb, or tingly, loosen the bandage. If these symptoms don’t disappear right away, seek immediate medical help.

This means raising the sore body part above the level of your heart. Doing so reduces pain, throbbing, and swelling. It’s not as tricky to do as you might think. For example, if you have an ankle sprain, you can prop your leg up on pillows while sitting on the sofa. The CDC recommends you keep the injured area raised whenever possible, even when you’re not icing it.

Your doctor may suggest using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (like ibuprofen or naproxen) along with the RICE treatment. These are available over the counter and by prescription. Talk to your doctor about your health history before taking these medications.

Top Picks

knee pain – causes and treatment

Symptoms of knee pain

The symptoms of knee pain depend on its cause and severity. Knee pain is a common problem.

Sudden pain in the knee occurs with too much stress and injury.

There may be weakness in the knees, to the point of feeling that the legs are about to give way.

Depending on the cause of the pain, other symptoms may occur: stiffness, clicking in the knee, stuck knee joint in one position, inability to straighten the leg.

How does knee pain affect us?

Knee pain is more common in the elderly, overweight (due to increased stress on the joints) and during sports. The knee joints provide freedom of movement, so knee pain greatly affects our lives. With knee pain, we cannot play sports, it is difficult for us to walk and climb stairs.

Ease the pain

DID YOU KNOW?

The knee joint is made up of three bones, tendons that attach muscles to bones, and ligaments that stabilize and connect bones. In the cavity of the knee joint there are two C-shaped cartilages – the menisci. Their main role is to cushion the joint. A fluid-filled bursa keeps the joint moving smoothly.*

69% of people have experienced knee pain.**

Get rid of pain

*Knee (human anatomy): images, functions, ligaments, muscles. 2016 Knee (Human Anatomy): Images, Functions, Ligaments, Muscles. [ONLINE] available at: http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/knee-pain/picture-of-the-knee. [checked 04/18/2016].
**Global Pain Index 2014: GSK-supported study, full report, p. 47

Why knee pain occurs

Knee pain is caused by trauma (sprains and tendons, sprains, torn ligaments or menisci), osteoarthritis, tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons) and bursitis (fluid accumulation in joint capsules).

Sports injuries

Knee injuries are common among athletes. They often have a ligament tear in the knee joint, accompanied by sudden pain in the knee. Running, walking, jumping, and cycling can cause runner’s knee syndrome when the knee joint is overstressed, for example. It usually manifests itself in the form of pain in the patella and occurs due to excessive exertion, injury, diseases of the leg bones or muscle weakness.

Inflammatory processes in the knee joints

Damage to the knees in osteoarthritis develops gradually. If, as a result of problems with the hip or ankle joints, a person’s gait is disturbed, then osteoarthritis leads to deformity of the knee joints. This, in turn, is fraught with injury. Knee injuries, even minor ones, increase the likelihood of such injuries in the future.

Find the cause of the pain

Pain in the side of the knee can be caused by a torn ligament or a tear in the meniscus (cartilage that stabilizes the joint). Pain in the front of the knee is usually due to inflammation of the joint capsule and cartilage problems. Pain in the back of the knee can be caused by osteoarthritis.

Treatment

How to diagnose and treat knee pain depends on the cause of the pain. To determine it, you need to consult a doctor. The doctor will examine your knee, check its mobility, swelling, bruising and local temperature increase. Your doctor may recommend physical therapy and a knee brace to relieve pain, refer you for additional tests (x-rays, MRIs, ultrasounds, or CT scans), show you exercises to strengthen your knee, and prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve pain and treat its causes. In addition, after consulting a doctor at home, you can provide protection and rest to the injured knee, apply ice, apply a compression bandage and keep the knee above the level of the heart. Over-the-counter topical and internal pain medications can be taken to relieve short-term mild pain and reduce inflammation.

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