What is Peace and Love for injuries?

For decades, we’ve all been told to “R.I.C.E.” an injury. I remember learning it on my GCSE PE and even my Sports massage course.

Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation 🫠

It sounded logical: reduce swelling, stay off it, wait it out. But as recovery science has evolved, we’ve learned that healing doesn’t come from freezing or avoiding movement.. it comes from circulation, calm, and care.

The new method is In two parts...which stage are you?

Peace and Love in Sports injury

The PEACE Approach (For the First Few Days) This stage is all about being gentle and patient Basically, protecting your injury without babying it.

PEACE stands for:

P - Protect: Avoid activities that worsen the injury for the first few days, but don’t completely immobilize it.

E - Elevate: Lift the injured limb above heart level when possible to reduce excessive swelling.

A - Avoid anti-inflammatories: They might dull pain but can also slow down tissue healing.

C – Compress: Use light compression to support the area and reduce unnecessary swelling.

E – Educate: Understand your body. Pain is a guide, not an enemy. Learn what helps recovery not just what numbs symptoms. This is super important

STAGE TWO LOVE ! 😍

Once the initial irritation calms down, it’s time to give your body some LOVE:

L – Load: Gradually reintroduce movement and weight. Tissue heals stronger when used, not when frozen still. Remember this! Don't stop.

O – Optimism: Your mindset matters. Believing in recovery has measurable effects on pain and speed of healing.

V – Vascularisation: Get blood flowing! Gentle movement, massage, and even cupping can improve circulation and accelerate recovery. Once again, movement is key.

E – Exercise: Rebuild mobility, strength, and confidence. Move smart, move often.

Remember RICE?

Why R.I.C.E. Falls Short..

Ice

Icing and endless rest might feel right, but they often slow recovery.

Ice can reduce pain... but it also restricts blood flow and delays the body’s natural healing process.

And total rest? That can lead to stiffness, weakness, and a longer road back to movement.

The PEACE & LOVE method focuses on active healing, guiding your body through recovery rather than forcing it to pause.

If you want to learn more about how to help yourself when you're suffering from an injury please visit my Sports Massage room in Saffron Walden