The treatment of acute soft tissue trauma in Danish emergency rooms

Rest, ice, compression, elevation (RICE) is the most recommended treatment for acute traumatic soft tissue injuries. A questionnaire was given to all Danish emergency rooms (n = 5) regarding their routines for acute treatment of ankle sprains and muscle contusions. Complete answers were received from 37 emergency rooms (73%), covering the treatment of 111 ankle sprains and 101 muscle contusions. Treatment with RICE was given in a minority of injuries, ice (21%), compression (32%) and elevation (58%) similarly between injury types. A complete RICE treatment was rarely applied (3%). Verbal information on RICE and rehabilitation was given in less than half of the cases. We conclude that the acute treatment of ankle sprains and muscle contusions in the Danish emergency rooms is not applied in accordance with consensus from international literature, and that the instruction in rehabilitation should be improved.