Soft tissue injuries such as strains and sprains are the most common sporting injuries. You may have heard of RICER and No HARM as immediate management techniques when someone tears a muscle but is PEACE & LOVE better?

Earlier this year, the British Journal of Sports Medicine published a report suggesting PEACE & LOVE as a superior acronym (1).

PEACE is for the first 72 hours after an injury, to be commenced immediately:

P – Protect

  • Unload or restrict movement for 1 to 3 days to prevent further injury – however prolonged rest can compromise tissue health creating excessive stiffness and loss of strength within tissues.

E – Elevate

  • Elevate the affected limb higher than the heart to remove fluid from the area.

A – Avoid anti-inflammatory medications

  • Some medications could possibly impair tissue healing, especially when taken in higher dosages.

C – Compress

  • Taping/bandages help to limit swelling and tissue bleeding.

E – Educate

  • Better education on the diagnosis, creating load management strategies and developing realistic expectations combined with an active approach to recovery is vital for tissue healing.

After the first 72 hours have passed, soft tissue injuries need LOVE:

L – Load

  • An active approach to movement and exercise allows for the greatest chance of healing soft tissues.
  • As pain and symptoms allow, mechanical stress from resuming normal activities should be resumed – this provides the tissues to opportunity to heal, repair and remodel.

O – Optimism

  • Being optimistic for rehabilitation and healing of tissues increases the likelihood of an optimal recovery – the BRAIN is a POWERFUL organ!

V – Vascularisation

  • Pain-free physical activity which gets the heart and lungs pumping assists to improve function and reduce the need for pain medications – CARDIO is KEY!

E – Exercise

  • Exercises targeted to restore mobility, strength and proprioception early after injury are vital! Pain should be avoided to ensure optimal repair.

 

Image sourced from:

https://therunningclinic.com/en/runners/blog/archives-anglaises/peace-love-new-acronym-for-the-treatment-of-traumatic-injuries/

References:

  1. Dubois, B., & Esculier, J. (2019). Soft tissue injuries simply need PEACE & LOVE. Retrieved from https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2019/04/26/soft-tissue-injuries-simply-need-peace-love/