Soft Tissue Injury (STI)

Most patients needing physiotherapy are probably afflicted by a soft tissue injury. These injuries are often caused by an acute blow or impact damaging one or more of the following things:

• Ligaments
• Muscles
• Tendons

Treating an STI at home can be a long and painful process. Often seeing a professional physiotherapist can speed up your recovery and get you back into the activities you previously participated in. Many people mention the R.I.C.E treatment method when recovering from a Soft Tissue Injury(STI).

During the first 24 hours after an injury:

R.I.C.E

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

48 – 72 hours after an injury:

No H.A.R.M

• Heat
• Alcohol
• Re-Injury
• Massage

By using the R.I.C.E method you can decrease inflammation and help your body start on the road to recovery. By avoiding the H.A.R.M’s you can ensure that your affected soft tissues continue to heal at the optimal rate. In later posts we will go more in-depth into the R.I.C.E method & H.A.R.M.