R.I.C.E.

In case you have ever wondered what happens when you don't head sound medical advice and known ways to minimize injuries, these pictures illustrate just that.

I was just over half way through a 10 mile trek/run in the Sandia Wilderness in Albuquerque, NM this past Sunday. I was on a trail, which is very familiar to me and moving at a very comfortable pace. I went with two guys from work who are probably not in quite as good shape as me. I wasn't feeling fatigued or nearing any kind of limit. We were on about mile 6 out of 10 when I rolled my right ankle. I felt or heard no pop or crack and after the initial painful twinge was able to move along relatively pain free. We finished the remaining 4 miles with a very mild combination of hiking and jogging. When I got home, I ate a snack then got on my spin bike in the garage and did a spin DVD for an hour. After spinning I changed out the tires on the front wheels of my mountain bikes. Then I worked on a friend's bike for a little while. Finally, about 5 hours after the injury I decided to rest and ice my ankle. I took the first picture just before I laid down. I slept for a couple hours.

After the nap, I got up and went to the store for dinner, made dinner for my wife and I and went to bed about 10:00. The second picture is just before bed. It was about 12 hours after the injury.

The next day I went to work at my usual time, leaving the house at 6:30 a.m. and worked a short day for me, until about 4:00 p.m. I had to make one stop on my way home and got home around 5:30 p.m. After looking at my ankle, I decided I had better get off it and built my nest on the couch for the evening. The third picture was taken just before I parked it on the couch.

I have these pictures to show the progression. The reason I started taking pictures is to text them to my friend, with whom I am supposed to race in 4 days (don't think I will be racing). Since I sent him the first one I kept taking pictures since it was getting worse. Thankfully, it is not really painful. It looks far more impressive than it feels.

And in case you don't know, the title of this post is an acronym for rest, ice, compression, elevation, which is the standard recommended treatment for any injury of this nature. I suggest you follow that advice.