Common first-aid practice may actually slow injury recovery, study finds

New scientific research challenges the decades-old practice of applying ice to sports injuries like sprained ankles or sore muscles. The study suggests that while ice provides short-term pain relief, it may actually delay and complicate the overall healing process.

For decades, reaching for an ice pack after a sprained ankle or sore muscle has been considered standard first aid — but new scientific research is now calling this deeply ingrained habit into question.

The study suggests that while applying ice offers temporary relief from pain and swelling, it may come at a significant cost: a longer and more difficult road to recovery. The findings challenge one of the most widely taught principles in sports medicine and emergency first aid.

## Why ice may be counterproductive

The core argument in the research centres on the body's natural inflammatory response. When tissue is damaged, the immune system triggers inflammation as part of the healing process — sending increased blood flow and repair cells to the injured area. Applying ice, the study argues, suppresses this response, which in the short term reduces pain and swelling but ultimately interferes with the body's own repair mechanisms.

This means that what feels like effective treatment may actually be delaying the cellular processes needed for proper tissue recovery. Researchers indicate the trade-off between immediate comfort and long-term healing outcomes deserves serious reconsideration by both medical professionals and the general public.

## Rethinking standard first aid

The RICE method — Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation — has been a cornerstone of first aid guidance for injured athletes and everyday patients alike. However, sports medicine experts have increasingly debated whether ice truly belongs in that formula. Some researchers now advocate for approaches that support rather than suppress inflammation, particularly in the critical early hours after an injury.

While more research is needed before official first-aid guidelines are formally revised, the study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that ice packs, long considered a harmless go-to remedy, may not be as beneficial as once believed.