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There's an easy way to remember what to do when you twist an ankle, injure a muscle or suffer any other mild sprain or strain. It's a first-aid strategy called PRICE. The acronym stands for:
- Protect the area to avoid pain and further injury.
- Rest to promote healing.
- Ice the injury to reduce inflammation.
- Compress the area to further reduce swelling.
- Elevate the injury above your heart to continue healing.
Watch: Dr. Cindy Kermott explains the five steps of the PRICE strategy.
Journalists: Broadcast-quality video is in the downloads.
After the first two days, gently begin to use the injured area. You should see a gradual, progressive improvement in the ability to support weight and move without pain. Mild and moderate sprains usually heal fully in three to six weeks.
Read more about first aid strategies.
This story is part of the Home Remedies series on the Mayo Clinic News Network.
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