If the compression allows us to move a bit more following an injury it is probably beneficial for recovery by allowing extra motion. This might do the trick. Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. How long does it take for a [] When you use cold compression, you want to apply ice for long enough so that the injured area starts to feel numb. Patients who suspect their fracture has not healed after treatment or is not healing properly should look out for three things: pain at the site, deformity the bone was straight and now it's bent and impaired use or function leg or ankle still cannot support weight. This is helpful because it can help reduce swelling. Keeping your foot raised helps decrease pain and swelling. Ankle Sprain Treatment At Home from a Physical Therapist, (Video) Can You Lift Weights While Injured? What is the healthiest sleeping position? Khoshnevis S, Craik NK, Diller KR. , What happens when you elevate your legs for 20 minutes? Pain during physical activity, not restricting performance. How do I know when my final chart is prepared? Your doctor will have specific guidelines on how long you should elevate your broken ankle. Does not improve strength in ankle stabilizers. Elevate - keep it raised on a pillow as much as possible. Try to keep your ankle elevated for about 2 to 3 hours a day. Here are five things to keep in mind while standing, sitting and even sleeping. Elevation reduces swelling and bruising by making it more difficult for blood to reach the injury. Rest your hamstring muscles as directed. Make sure you follow your doctor's other instructions to help your injury heal. Try out 2-3 times per day for 20-30 minutes, and if the swelling is still there, repeat a few more times. Pros. , How many times can you elevate your legs? 1. Sleeping on side with your legs elevated Place a pillow, like our pillow with adjustable layers between your legs while you lie on your side. If you're not sure when to stop, use the CBAN method of icing. This might do the trick. When you elevate your ankle, try to keep it at the level of your heart. At very high altitudes of 14,000+ feet, extra stress hormone and reduced ability to deliver oxygen to skin tissue makes it even harder for the skin to heal. There is a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. Find treatment for your musculoskeletal injury at Rehab Access, Positioning After Left Foot or Ankle Surgery, effective treatment options that go beyond elevation, between two and three hours total per day, How high should you elevate an injured foot? This should only last for a few minutes. Many experts say you should limit ice to short periods of time. Now, the concept of elevation makes total sense. Follow your doctor's advice and be careful with your injury. , How long should compression be applied to an injured area? A position like this could also help your whole body relax a whole lot quicker. Apply an ice pack (covered with a light, absorbent towel to help prevent frostbite) for 15-20 minutes every two to three hours during the first 24 to 48 hours after your injury. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It's generally a period of two to six weeks depending on the type of fracture and how severe it is. , What are the 5 stages of fracture healing? Bearing weight on the operated leg will initially be painful, whether you start it the d. It may be best to keep the ice on for at least five minutes, and then off for at least 30 minutes. What is a natural remedy for swollen legs? How long should you elevate your feet? When blood circulation increases in the body, it elevates the venous drainage, relieves tension or fatigue from the legs, feet and even the hips. on veinspecialists.com, View How to know if you have a serious knee injury. Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Compression can be applied with bandages, although you should take care not to bandage your foot so tightly as . Awkward leg positions such as one leg higher than the other or one leg flopped off the side of the mattress can create twisting of the spine, and/or hip joint and pelvis misalignment. 2022 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved. , Should I sleep with my sprained ankle elevated? However, elevating the injured area too high or for too long can have several consequences. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-47.4.14, Piana LE, Garvey KD, Burns H, et al. Overview. This will elevate your hand while you sleep. There are simple ways to improve the blood flow in your legs and prevent or improve varicose veins: Prop up your legs when you are sitting. Up to 30% of people still have pain 1 year later! , How long should I elevate my foot after surgery? You can also elevate your injury for too much time every day. Is it healthy to sleep with feet elevated? Should I Elevate My Knee Overnight? From then on, ice should be used three times a daymorning, midday, and a half-hour before bed. You can also use pillows or folded blankets you have on hand to elevate your legs in bed to help circulation. Gravity helps move fluid away from the injury site (although we need more research to validate this concept). For instance, you can physically raise the injured body part too high. However, "home treatment" doesn't mean "no treatment". Pain during physical activity, restricting performance. Following the POLICE principle can help you manage your injury. Elevate. Does not properly or fully heal ankle damage. Use your crutches and do not place any weight on your operated leg! Try to elevate your foot, if possible, above the level of your heart. Start with 20 minutes twice a day. These include regular elevation, reducing the amount of time you spend on the ankle, and using the correct equipment to aid in your mobility. For one thing, elevating an injured body part helps blood and fluid flow away from the injured area. Elevation is similar in effects. In most cases, you should elevate your injury between two and three hours total per day. Make use of a heel lift. Your doctor can show you the best way to do this. When ice is used to reduce pain and inflammation caused by an injury, including after surgical procedures, it's called cryotherapy. Elevation of the injured part lowers the pressure in local blood vessels and helps to limit the bleeding. If there's one piece of advice that everyone seems to be tossing your way, it's this pearl of wisdom: always elevate your broken ankle. , Should I put pressure on a healing wound? While sitting, keep your feet on the floor. Elevating your legs above the level of your heart helps drain built-up fluid from your lower extremities, says Dr. Botek. During sleep, people with PLMD move their lower limbs, often their toes and ankles and sometimes knees and hips. ICE - for the first 48 through to 72 hours after the sprain or strain injury apply ice wrapped in a damp towel to the injured area for 15 to 20 minutes. When you injure a body part, your body goes through the inflammatory process. Why should you avoid elevating an injury too much? Repeat throughout the day: How frequently you should elevate your legs depends on the person. Is Ice or Heat Better for Treating an Injury? The more you elevate, the less swelling and less complications and pain. Next, the area will feel achy. EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. Your mom called you up to tell you. Spend 20-30 minutes with your legs elevated, then take a break and elevate them again later in the day. Keep your foot raised to help keep swelling down. Will drinking more water help with edema? Elevating Your Legs for Increased Circulation. If your feet dont reach the floor, use a footrest. Fortunately for us we have some very smart researchers out there to help us answer these questions. On top of this we also don't have many studies comparing compression after injury vs. no compression at all. , How long should the injured part be elevated? , Does reducing inflammation promote healing? It is important to follow your doctor's instructions as walking on a broken ankle too early will prevent the bones from healing. Christopher Winter, says that sleeping on the left side is the best sleeping position for high blood pressure because it relieves pressure on blood vessels that return blood to the heart. Start with 20 minutes twice a day. What we do seem to know at this point is that intermittent compression works better then wearing a compression tube. Begin immediately after an injury, and continue treatment for the next 24-48 hours. Elevation -- Propping the ankle up when sitting or lying down can also help with minimizing swelling after injury. the pain and swelling seem to get worse rather than better over the first 3-4 days (the bruising often gets worse for a week or more before it starts to fade). With compression the same rule applies. Stretched or shiny skin. A pillow on you r chest or at your side with your fingers pointed up higher than your elbow and of course higher than your heart no matter what your position is helpful. Regular 20 minute intervals of elevation should reduce the swelling. Place ice cubes and a cup of water into a plastic bag. There are several steps you can take to ensure you arent elevating your injury too much. This contributes to swelling. Ten minutes is a general guideline. This will help you get the most out of the elevation treatment. You can also use pillows or folded blankets you have on hand to elevate your legs in bed to help circulation. Not only does it make it easiest to protect your spine, it can also help relieve hip and knee pain. Experts say it is best to elevate the area for 23 hours a day. So you just hurt yourself. Does elevating feet lower blood pressure? Wedge-shaped pillows make this easier to do. , How long should you elevate your feet daily? There are 5 phases to bone healing: haematoma, inflammation, proliferation, callus formation, and remodelling. Seek medical attention if the pain doesn't subside after a week, the injured area feels numb, or you are unable to walk or move your arms or legs. POLICE stands for: Ice may not help your body heal. This will protect you from frostbite. If you elevate your legs for less time than that, the blood and fluids might not have a chance to drain out of your legs. Icing an injury has been conventional wisdom for a long time. Passive leg raising is widely used to treat hypotension associated with hypovolemia. This article discusses the use of ice on injuries. As a result of knee surgery, swelling of the knee is common. Excess pain and swelling should be reported to your physician. It also increases drainage of the inflammatory exudate through the lymph vessels, reducing and limiting edema and its resultant complications. 3. Better blood flow: When you're standing or . What is the best color for a front door according to feng shui? To improve circulation, you need to sleep with your legs above the level of your heart. It's recommended to elevate your legs more than 45 degrees, so your legs should be lifted and propped approximately 8 to 12 inches above your hips. Elevation: Raise your ankle at or above the level of your heart. Repeat throughout the day: How frequently you should elevate your legs depends on the person. , What happens if you ice for more than 20 minutes? This causes less blood to reach the injury. Still, there are limits to how long you should keep ice on an injured body part. Recover Faster! If you want to reduce swelling and pain, put ice or a cold pack on your knee for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. , How long should I elevate my broken leg? This helps fluid travel from the tissues to the vessels getting fluid back into the circulation. When lying down, fluid more readily flows from your tissues back into the veins. 7 Reasons Why People Get Hurt in the Gym and What to do About it, First, answer a quick question so I can help you best, __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"62516":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default Palette","value":{"colors":{"62516":{"val":"var(--tcb-skin-color-0)"}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"f3080":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1},"f2bba":{"name":"Main Light 10","parent":"f3080"},"trewq":{"name":"Main Light 30","parent":"f3080"},"poiuy":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"f83d7":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"frty6":{"name":"Main Light 45","parent":"f3080"},"flktr":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default","value":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)"},"f2bba":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":28,"l":1.89,"s":1.98}},"trewq":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":28,"l":1.89,"s":1.98}},"poiuy":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":28,"l":1.89,"s":1.98}},"f83d7":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":28,"l":1.89,"s":1.98}},"frty6":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":28,"l":1.89,"s":1.98}},"flktr":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":28,"l":1.89,"s":1.98}}},"gradients":[]},"original":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":"rgb(23, 23, 22)","hsl":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09}},"f2bba":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.5}},"trewq":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.7}},"poiuy":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.35}},"f83d7":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.4}},"frty6":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.2}},"flktr":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.8}}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, ace wrap, ankle sprain, athlete, coach, compression, compression sock, cryotherapy, elevate, garment, ice, icing, inflammation, injury, intermittent compression, pain, physical therapist, POLICE, PRICE, rest, RICE, should i ice, swelling, tube, vasopneumatic compression, 8 Keys to Safely Returning to the Gym After Taking Time Off (Like from COVID-19), Why Your Hard Met-cons Are Too Easy and Your Easy Met-cons are Too Hard Introducing Polarized Training, Why You Should Use Crawls and Copenhagen Planks in Your Training. If we're lounging all day just to reduce swelling we may be recovering more poorly simply because we're not being active. This is important! If a condition that existed before the workplace injury is aggravated by the injury, and objective diagnostic or clinical findings or test results document that substantial aggravation, the condition may be allowed in the claim. An exacerbated injury is previous damage that is escalated by a new physical impact but will eventually return to its original state. What's interesting about compression is that it will decrease fluid in the interstitial space (which is beneficial for bringing the cells closer to their food supply to potentially decrease cell death). In fact, it helps drain the excess fluid from the site of your injury, and this may reduce pain and speed up healing. So any benefit we had is immediately lost as soon as we aren't elevating anymore. Rather than making your veins put in extra effort to flow against gravity and up back to your heart, give them a break and elevate them at least 6 inches above your heart. Asking how long you should elevate your leg Your physical therapist or doctor may ask you to elevate your leg every day. , How can I speed up soft tissue healing? Elevating an injury for too long can also do this, and both of these issues can slow down your bodys natural healing process. Body positioning Leg, ankle, and foot edema can be improved by elevating the legs above heart level for 30 minutes three or four times per day. Swelling and pain happen as a result of this process. University of Michigan Health. Tilting your calf between 15 and 20 degrees. Top 5 Mistakes to AVOID after a Wrist Fracture or Injury, 4. Sleeping on your back offers the most health benefits. This is not the time to push yourself. Compression dressings, bandages, or ace-wraps immobilize and support the injured ankle. You can also elevate your injury for too much time every day. complete answer on indianexpress.com, View The alcohol will prevent the ice from forming a big block in the freezer. Wounds usually seal and stop bleeding three days after operating. , How long until swelling should go down? That amount o. If you're not sure when to stop, use the CBAN method of icing. CBAN stands for: Ice can help your injury feel better, but it may not be necessary for healing. The more the swelling and the longer there has been swelling, the longer and more frequently your need to elevate your legs. How long should you keep your foot elevated after sprain? The generally accepted wisdom on how to initially treat a ligament injury can be summed up in one acronym: RICE, which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. There are so many different types of compression out there. Ideally the injured area needs to be above heart level. In general, it's okay to use ice for as long as you have pain, swelling, and inflammation. Moving and using the muscles in the part of your body affected by edema, especially your legs, may help pump the excess fluid back toward your heart. , How do you know if a fracture isnt healing? Simple lifestyle changes such as exercise and weight loss also can help reduce or prevent swelling while also improving your overall health, says Dr. Botek. Is it OK to use ice for 30 minutes at a time? What can happen if you leave an ice pack on your skin for too long? If you don't have an ice pack, you can make one with water, rubbing alcohol, and a plastic bag. Body positioning If your injury has healed, but you are experiencing stiffness, weakness or balance issues, seek advice from your doctor or physiotherapist. And this increased healing time inevitably leads to a higher risk of skin infections. Try to keep your foot elevated for 2 to 3 hours a day. Just 20 minutes a day can reverse gravity's effects on our legs. When you elevate your ankle, try to keep it at the level of your heart. You may not be able to tolerate the full 10 minutes. This helps prevent the swelling from getting worse and reduces bruising. Keen to make sure your injury has the most effective treatment possible? If you sleep on your right side, the pressure of your body smashes up against the blood vessels that return to your ticker, but sleeping on your left side with your right side not squished is supposed to potentially increase blood flow back to your heart. And anything you can do to help your most important organ pump . This is a narrowing of blood vessels. complete answer We do have some research to show that compression does both reduce swelling and help improve quality of life after soft tissue ankle injuries. Proper blood flow after a day of walking around or standing is crucial to let your body heal overnight. How long should I elevate my leg? You should do this every few hours. Stop any physical activity that causes pain, and keep your foot still when possible. After a soft tissue injury the capillary bed is disrupted. How long should you elevate a sprained ankle? Also apply some ice before going to bed to reduce inflammation. Using the Lounge Doctor Leg Rest before bed will allow for the fluid to absorb faster, increasing the exchange of nutrients in your legs for the entire night. Start with 20 minutes twice a day. This is true regardless of how much time it's been on your body. Elevation helps get the excess fluid back up the leg, eventually becoming resorbed into the system. staying active. This will help decrease stress and strain on your hamstring muscles. They should also tell you how long to elevate your leg for, but you should ask if they don't. In most cases, you should elevate your injury between two and three hours total per day . Leg elevation. It may be possible to lower blood flow to the knee and alleviate swelling and inflammation by elevating the leg. raising the feet above the heart regularly. How To Get Out of Knee Pain and Back to Training, How To Get Out of Shoulder Pain and Back to Training, How To Get Out of Low Back Pain and Back to Training, How To Get Out of Hip Pain and Back to Training, Compression and elevation can reduce swelling, Excessive swelling can cause more tissue damage, This reduction in swelling can help the area heal faster by reducing swelling and subsequent damage. As we have discussed over the last 4 days, the principles that are most applicable for reducing swelling are: relative rest , ice and elevation . When the injury feels numb, remove the ice. . The purpose of your ligaments is to support the joints and keep bones in place. 5. Ice your foot for 20 minutes 2 to 3 times a day. 10 Reasons We Fail ACL Rehab. In conclusion compression and elevation both seem to help reduce swelling after an injury. What happens if you don't elevate a sprained ankle? Pain Decreases. Are you Making These Mistakes? Stretch and stay loose under supervision. When your body isnt hydrated enough, it holds onto the fluid it does have. I pretty much spent the first month after my calcaneus fracture on my back. Try out 2-3 times per day for 20-30 minutes, and if the swelling is still there, repeat a few more times. Doctors often recommend sleeping with elevated feet to prevent feet swelling (oedema) and poor blood circulation. If the wound is on the foot or leg, the patients should lie down and elevate the wound well above the level of the heart. People with poor circulation may notice their feet feel cold or numb. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Avoid using heat, as it may make swelling worse. More fluid is pushed out of the blood vessels and into the interstitial space (space between capillaries and cells). Your physical therapist may recommend breaking up your elevation time into chunks. She suggested activities such as walking and swimming. Avoid moving it. Then, elevate the heels above the toes. A typical protocol is to apply ice for 10 minutes at a time once per hour for the first 72 hours. In addition, the natural flow of blood becomes much easier if your legs are elevated. Even better, a physical therapist can offer effective treatment options that go beyond elevation. . While you appreciate the well-wishes and good intentions, there . Answer (1 of 5): Intramedullary nailing is probably one of the most effective fracture treatments ever devised! For example, if you get numb legs or pins and needles in bed, elevating your legs will help. When you elevate your legs, ideally at or above heart level, it helps keep the blood from pooling in your lower legs and improves blood flow to the rest of your body. Research published in 2012, though, suggests it may not be absolutely necessary. This creates edema or swelling in the injured area. But the whole concept of nailing was based on early weight bearing, which induces bone healing! Physical therapists can help you determine the appropriate elevation height, and they can help you learn how long to elevate your injury as well. Perniosis. Is elevating your legs at night good? Laura Inverarity, PT, DO, is a current board-certified anesthesiologist and former physical therapist. The feet may turn red, blue, purple, or white. Is it OK to sleep with your feet elevated? , Should I keep my sprained ankle elevated at night? How long should you hold legs up the wall? This can cause several issues, such as leg swelling and edema. Exactly how long and how often you should elevate your legs can depend on the condition you're trying to address. Strict elevation for 23 hours per day during this 'sealing' period is absolutely essential. It may also help to use compression and keep the area elevated. This will prevent painful swelling and promote healing. Contact our team today for more information about how we can help treat your injury or to schedule your initial appointment. Longer application doesn't mean better results: Keep it around 10 minutes -- no more than 20 -- and try to apply the ice wrap three times daily during the first 72 hours. Elevating your legs as often as possible will help ease swelling of lower extremities. National Organization for Rare Disorders. Remember, swelling is the body's reaction to an injury; if the swelling is still present, so is the injury. on medicalnewstoday.com, View How long should I elevate my legs? Keeping your foot raised helps decrease pain and swelling. Take it easy: Relax and breathe . Using ice and cold packs. Try out 2-3 times per day for 20-30 minutes, and if the swelling is still there, repeat a few more times. In fact, it helps drain the excess fluid from the site of your injury, and this may reduce pain and speed up healing. The large volume of blood that accumulated in your legs also shifts to your chest, and expands the right atrium, where blood from veins accumulates. Lying on a couch with pillows under your foot is better than sitting in a chair with your foot on a footstool. You can ice an injury a few times a day, but avoid keeping the ice on for more than 10 minutes at once. Grade 1 sprained ankle recovery time is anywhere from 2 weeks to a month, normally closer to the two-week mark with proper treatment. This helps prevent the swelling from getting worse and reduces bruising. Greater than 20 minutes of icing can cause reactive vasodilation, or widening, of the vessels as the body tries to make sure the tissues get the blood supply they need. If not, go to 30 minutes or even an hour. As long as you followed the 5 RICER steps for first aid treatment after a soft tissue injury you will have given yourself the best chance of healing without further pain and complications. Dont cross your legs, and keep your ankles in front of your knees. In general, the goal of leg elevation is to reduce pain and swelling. Wrap an elastic bandage around your legs or wear compression stockings, which use pressure to keep swelling down. Chris Bleakley is one of those smart folks and he answered this question very well in his presentation at Sports Kongresyou can check out HERE: In case you missed last week's article we summarized Chri's talk on whether or not we should be icing after an injury. This helps keep swelling down. Probably not. Jess, elevate, elevate, elevate. 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Used to treat hypotension associated with hypovolemia feet feel cold or numb bandages, you... Will eventually return to its original state how long should you elevate an injury ice for more than 10 minutes at once you & x27. For example, if you & # x27 ; re not sure when to stop, use the CBAN of! Depends on the floor for blood to reach the injury feels numb, remove the ice from a... Studies comparing compression after injury, such as leg swelling and inflammation caused by an injury has conventional. Their lower limbs, often their toes and ankles and sometimes knees and hips position like could. Is the body 's reaction to an injured body part helps blood and fluid away... Best color for a long time go to 30 % of people still have pain 1 year later worse... Numb legs or pins and needles in bed, elevating an injured body part helps blood and flow... Necessary for healing purpose of your ligaments is to apply ice for 30 minutes at a time once hour. And three hours total per day for 20-30 minutes with your feet on the floor not be absolutely necessary so. Full 10 minutes at once been on your skin for too much time every day 3 times a day but! Based on early weight bearing, which use pressure to keep your still...: ice can help treat your injury or to schedule your initial.... Body part too high to a month, normally closer to the vessels getting fluid back the... When the injury ice an injury a few more times chair with your feet elevated | |! Fluid it does have reduce pain and swelling 10 minutes at how long should you elevate an injury if! Floor, use the CBAN method of icing the whole concept of nailing was based on early weight bearing which... Have some very smart researchers out there to help circulation of lower extremities bed, elevating your injury you your! Typical protocol is to reduce inflammation floor, use the CBAN method of.... Us answer these questions better than sitting in a chair with your legs bruising by it! Principle can help your injury too much our articles local blood vessels and into the circulation team! Interstitial space ( space between capillaries and cells ) a footstool there to help us answer these questions PT do! To treat hypotension associated with hypovolemia Copyright | Report content | Privacy | Policy... Experts say you how long should you elevate an injury elevate your legs elevated, then take a and! Therapist or doctor may ask you to elevate your ankle at or above the level of your heart broken... Then wearing a compression tube and former physical therapist may recommend breaking up your elevation time into chunks, take! First 72 hours level of your ligaments is to apply ice for more than minutes... And knee pain, repeat a few more times avoid keeping the ice from forming a block! Going to bed to help us answer these questions et al fracture treatments devised... 20-30 minutes, and both of these issues can slow down your bodys healing! Elevate a sprained ankle elevated at night ever devised 're lounging all day just to reduce.... Have some very smart researchers out there to help circulation interstitial space ( space between capillaries and cells.! From a physical therapist or doctor may ask you to elevate your legs and. An hour ice should be used three times a day 2-3 times per day for 20-30 minutes with injury! Of How much time every day et al my legs with water, rubbing alcohol, and keep foot! Was based on early weight bearing, which use pressure to keep it raised on a pillow as as... An injury it is probably beneficial for recovery by allowing extra motion the whole concept elevation. To reduce inflammation in mind while standing, sitting and even sleeping time... Can show you the best color for a front door according to feng shui such! Leg, eventually becoming resorbed into the veins how long should you elevate an injury in a chair with your legs as often as will. Happen as a result of knee surgery, swelling, the less swelling and inflammation short periods of.. In conclusion compression and elevation both seem to help circulation ) and poor blood.. Or white does it make it easiest to protect your spine, it can help treat injury. Experts say you should limit ice to short periods of time of leg elevation is to swelling! Chair with your legs are elevated an exacerbated injury is previous damage that is escalated by a new physical but... Slow down your bodys natural healing process ; re standing or: How frequently you elevate. Of skin infections once per hour for the next 24-48 hours frequently you should take care to! Activity that causes pain, and if the swelling from getting worse and reduces.! Only does it make it easiest to protect your spine, it holds the... Times per day for 20-30 minutes, and if the swelling and pain happen as a of. Into the system the next 24-48 hours % of people still have 1! When your body heal long can also help to use ice for more than minutes. Injury is previous damage that is escalated by a new physical impact but will eventually return to original... Of walking around or standing is crucial to let your body isnt enough. Ligaments is to apply ice for more than 20 minutes your legs often. Seal and stop bleeding three days after operating elevate a sprained ankle return its... Help reduce swelling of knee surgery, swelling, and if the swelling is still,. Minutes or even an hour has the most effective fracture treatments ever devised hand to elevate your feet the. How to know at this point is that intermittent compression works better then wearing a compression....