You were playing a game of touch football with the kids and showing off your quick-cutting ability when the dog ended up under your feet. Despite your best defensive moves, you slipped and twisted your ankle. You can still walk on it, but it is painful and starting to swell.

Sprains, strains and tendonitis are the most common causes of joint or muscle pain resulting from overuse or injury. The degree of injury determines the type of treatment needed. Getting started on treatment immediately makes a huge difference in the amount of pain and length of recovery, so don’t try to be tough and ignore your symptoms.

A simple mnemonic for treatment is RICE. REST

Give the injury time to heal. Returning to activity prematurely may result in additional injury to an already weakened area. Gentle range of motion exercises are advised, but weight bearing or high impact activity should be avoided.

ICE

Apply ice to the affected area as soon as possible. You will not only decrease the immediate pain but also reduce the amount of swelling that takes place. For athletes who participate in intense activity, icing vulnerable or previously injured sites such as knees or ankles immediately after workouts is advised. A Dixie cup filled with water and frozen veggies provides intense chilling when applied to the area with continuous movement over a 10 minute time period.

COMPRESSION

Apply an ACE wrap to the area to limit swelling and reduce the likelihood of having additional micro tears of the tissue.

ELEVATION

Gravity is not your friend when you have an injury. Raising the affected area above heart level allows the blood flow to move out of the area, reducing bruising and swelling.

Do you have a case of road rash or a small cut? Start by cleaning the site well with soap and water. Protect the site from irritation by applying a protective dressing. An application of over- the-counter antibiotic ointment is reasonable but should not be applied for multiple days due to the possibility of developing skin sensitivity from repeated exposure.

If there is a question of needing stitches, or if the wound doesn’t show signs of healing in a short period of time, see a health care provider for evaluation. You should also check on your tetanus immunization status now.

It makes more sense to get your immunization updated at your convenience than to have to make an unscheduled visit to the emergency room on a weekend when you have an injury.

Blisters can make an unexpected appearance. If the blister isn’t painful, just leave it alone as the intact skin helps to protect against infection. If it is painful, you can sterilize a needle and carefully pierce the skin to gently deflate the fluid. Try to leave the skin undisturbed so it can provide some natural cushion and protection to the site. Cover the blister with moleskin or a similar protective dressing and watch for signs of infection.

Staying active is an important part of maintaining a good quality of life, but occasional injuries can temporarily derail your routine. Getting an immediate start on dealing with the injury will put you back on the active list in short order.

Patti Iversen is a family nurse practitioner at the Sidney Health Center. She is spearheading a “Walking to Wellness” half marathon set for July 11 in Sidney. She can be reached at walkingtowellness@yahoo.com for information on the walk.