Sprained your ankle? DON'T ice it!

Injury researchers in Australia say putting ice on soft tissue injuries could actually slow down the body's natural healing. The standard treatment for sprains and strains is rest, ice, compression and elevation - or RICE. Dr Rachael Murray, a researcher at the Queensland University of Technology and immediate past president of the Australasian Wound and Tissue Repair Society, says ice may make it feel better, but will constrict veins around the joint and slow blood flow to the injury site.