A SCARIER Method of Injury Treatment

Everyone has heard of the RICE method of injury treatment: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. But RICE leaves out a few important elements: Stretching, Rehydration and Anti-inflamatories. Walkers with injuries shouldn't stop at RICE, but should try something SCARIER: Stretch, Compress, Anti-inflamatories, Rehydrate, Ice, Elevate, Rest.

• STRETCH the muscles. Most racewalking injuries are tendonitis or bursitis-type injuries. The root cause of these injuries is tight muscles that "pull" on tendon insertions. Stretching the tight muscles will relieve the strain on the tendon insertions.

• COMPRESS the sore spots to push out excess fluids. Also "compress"--by massaging--the tight muscles to work out any knots, and to break up scar tissue.

• ANTI-INFLAMATORIES like Ibuprofin (Advil) to further reduce swelling.

• REHYDRATE those dried out, beef-jerky muscles. Muscles are 90% water--a dry muscle is a tight muscle. DRINK!

• ICE 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off for 30 minutes, after training.

• ELEVATE the feet whenever possible--try to keep them off the dinner table though. Elevation will allow fluid to drain out of the swollen spots.

• REST as a last resort. If at all possible, continue walking, but take it easy. Warming up the muscles will allow you to get a better stretch, and will circulate lots of healing blood to the area. I don't think of it as "training," but as "therapeutic walking."

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