Parents of active children, it’s finally time for registration for spring youth sports through the Indian Land area YMCA. If your young child needs to burn off some energy, soccer teams that teach the basics and a running club are a couple ways to do that. Sports are a great way to get kids moving and keep their bodies healthy. Of course, as a parent, you need to be prepared with some basic first aid skills to take care of the accidents that can easily happen. One of the most important treatments you should know is RICE therapy.

RICE therapy works to lower inflammation and swelling after an injury, and it’s one of the most effective ways to promptly treat a painful problem. The acronym RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation:

• Rest – This means taking a break from all activities that stress the foot, particularly if they cause pain. This allows the injury to heal and also keeps you or your child from continuing to injure the limb.
• Ice – Wrap an ice pack in a towel so it doesn’t freeze the skin, then apply it to the painful area of the foot. This decreases both inflammation and swelling.
• Compress – Wrap the foot in an elastic medical bandage. This helps stabilize the limb, decrease swelling, and improve circulation.
• Elevate – Prop the injured limb up on a stool or pillows. This ensures rest and also prevents the fluid that causes swelling from pooling in the foot’s soft tissues.

All of these steps play a role to combat swelling and decrease inflammation so the damaged tissues can begin healing. More importantly, in the critical time immediately following an injury, when inflammation and swelling are taking hold, RICE therapy works right away to combat those things and allow the tissues to begin repairing themselves.

Your active child’s feet, as well as your own, are important. You need them to stay mobile and independent, much less play any type of sport. Taking care of them when accidents happen, and following through with more invested treatment for recovery, is important for maintaining healthy limbs. Let Carolina Podiatry Group in Indian Land and Lancaster, SC, help you manage any foot injuries. Use our website or call to make an appointment: (803) 548-FEET for Indian Land, or (803) 285-1411 for Lancaster.