RICE
RICE is a method of acute injury treatment. It stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
Rest
It is important to rest right after an injury for two reasons. First, rest help protect the injured muscle, tendon, ligament or other tissue from further injury. Second, your body needs to rest so it has the energy it needs to heal itself.
Ice
You can use ice packs, instant cold packs or even a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a thin towel. Cold helps provide short-term pain relief. It also limits swelling by helping to reduce blood flow to the injured area. You should never leave ice on an injury for more than 15-20 minutes at a time. Longer exposure can damage your skin and actually create more swelling. The best rule is to apply cold compresses for 15 minutes and then leave them off for at least 45 minutes.
Compression
Compression limits swelling. Some people notice pain relief from compression as well. An easy way to compress the area of the injury is to wrap an ACE bandage over it. If you feel throbbing, or if the wrap just feels too tight, remove the bandage and re-wrap the area so the bandage is a little looser.
Elevation
Elevating an injury reduces swelling. It's most effective when the injured area is raised above the level of the heart. For example, if you injure an ankle, try lying on your bed with your foot propped on one or two pillows.