10/07/2026
For years, the go-to advice for managing an acute injury has been RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation). It's still what many people think of when they roll an ankle, strain a muscle or sprain a ligament.
But our understanding of injury management has evolved.
Current evidence supports the PEACE & LOVE approach, which recognises that while injured tissues need some protection in the first few days, they also need the right amount of movement and loading to heal well.
In those first 1–3 days, the goal is to protect the injured area from further damage, use compression and elevation to help manage swelling, and avoid prolonged rest. Pain can be used as a guide to gradually return to comfortable movement.
After the first few days, the focus shifts to LOVE—gradually reintroducing load, staying active with pain-guided movement, incorporating cardiovascular exercise, and progressing to targeted strength and balance exercises. Research suggests that appropriate mechanical loading helps stimulate tissue repair, remodelling and improves the capacity of muscles, tendons and ligaments to recover.
The article also challenges the routine use of ice and anti-inflammatory medication for every soft tissue injury. While they may reduce pain in some situations, inflammation is part of the normal healing process, so these treatments aren't always the best option for optimising tissue repair.
Recovery isn't about doing nothing—it's about doing the right amount at the right time.
📚 Reference:
Dubois B, Esculier JF. Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2020;54(2):72–73. https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/2/72
