Peace & Love: Why RICE is Outdated for Soft Tissue Injuries

By Dr. Andrew Kakishita | Kinetic Chiropractic – Lehi, UT

For decades, the first advice you’d hear after an injury was “RICE”: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. While this approach helped manage swelling, newer research has shown that prolonged rest and icing can actually slow down your recovery.

Meet PEACE & LOVE—The Modern Approach

PEACE & LOVE is a new framework for managing soft tissue injuries. Instead of just shutting everything down, it guides you through a more active, evidence-based recovery:

PEACE: Right After Injury

• Protect: Avoid activities that aggravate the injury for the first few days.

• Elevate: Keep the injured area raised above heart level.

• Avoid anti-inflammatories: They can impair tissue healing in the early phase.

• Compress: Use wraps or sleeves to manage swelling.

• Educate: Understand that pain doesn’t always equal damage.

LOVE: What Comes Next

• Load: Start gentle, progressive movement to rebuild strength.

• Optimism: Positive mindset improves recovery outcomes.

• Vascularization: Do light aerobic activity to promote blood flow.

• Exercise: Gradually return to normal activity and strengthen the area.

Why This Matters

Injuries heal best when tissues are loaded gradually. While ice can temporarily reduce pain, it doesn’t necessarily speed healing. PEACE & LOVE emphasizes movement and education instead of relying only on passive treatments.

How We Help

At Kinetic Chiropractic, we’ll create a recovery plan based on your specific injury. From gentle manual therapy to exercise progressions, you’ll know exactly what to do every step of the way.

Ready to heal smarter, not just faster? Book your consultation today.