R - Rest = Make sure to rest the part of your body that hurts. That probably goes without saying. Just don't use the aching body part as much as you normally would.
I -
Ice = As soon as you can, put
ice where the pain resides.
Ice for 15 mins, then remove the pack for 5. Repeat for a good hour
maybe. If you leave the ice on too
long, that part of your body will swell up - not good. If iced properly, your heal
time will be cut in half. If you don't have ice readily available, then find a way to apply any kind of coldness on the aching area.
C - Compression = If bones, joints, or ligaments are injured, make sure to put a wrap or tie something around the afflicted area. This keeps all the inside parts together so that they can't be injured further. I have ACE knee wraps handy while I play just to make sure that nothing gets hurt. If your neck hurts, don't be a
dumbass and compress that part of your body.
E - Elevation = My favorite part. If your bed is against a
wall, this healing process is easy to accomplish. Before you go to sleep, scoot your body up against the
wall so that your
feet rest on the
wall and are raised well above your body (specifically, your heart). Make sure you have something to do for the next 30 mins while your
feet lay on the
wall (I usually do my reading HW, which takes an hour and allows for a good resting period). While you do this, you'll probably feel the aching blood in your legs drain out - this is a very good thing. After 30 mins (or until you think all the bad blood has been restored in your legs), your legs should be well rested. If done properly, you should feel VERY minimal aching in your legs the next day. This method can also be applied to ParaPara aches by resting your hands on
top or on the back of your head to place them above your heart.