Sports Injuries : What to do next?

Medically reviewed by Dag Ronhovde, BSc.PT — physiotherapist at Bayview Physiotherapy, Nanaimo, BC.

Quick answer: In the first 48–72 hours after a sports injury, protect the area, avoid aggravating movements, and manage swelling with ice, compression, and elevation.

Most sprains and strains benefit from introducing gentle, pain-free movement within a few days rather than complete rest. An early physiotherapy assessment — ideally within the first week — identifies the extent of the injury, rules out anything more serious, and gets you on the fastest safe path back to activity.

What to Do Immediately After a Sports Injury

Whether it's a rolled ankle on the trail, a pulled hamstring at soccer, or a tweaked shoulder in the gym, what you do in the first hour matters. Two frameworks guide early injury care: PRICE and the newer MEAT approach.

The PRICE Protocol

Protection — Stop the activity and protect the injured area with a brace, sling, or splint if needed. Continuing to play on an acute injury risks turning a minor issue into a major one.

Rest — Avoid using the injured area for the first 24–48 hours to allow initial healing to begin.

Ice — Apply an ice pack wrapped in a cloth for 15–20 minutes every 2–3 hours to help control pain and swelling.

Compression — Wrap the area with an elastic bandage snugly enough to limit swelling, but not so tight that it restricts circulation.

Elevation — Raise the injured limb above heart level when possible to help reduce swelling.

The MEAT Protocol

For less severe injuries, or once the acute swelling phase has passed, many physiotherapists now recommend transitioning to MEAT:

Movement — Gentle, pain-free motion rather than complete immobilization

Exercise — Specific, guided exercises to restore strength and range of motion

Analgesics — Safe pain relief as needed, used to support movement rather than avoid it

Treatment — Prompt professional assessment and care

The shift from PRICE to MEAT reflects a broader trend in sports medicine: prolonged rest can delay healing, while early, controlled movement often speeds recovery when the injury allows for it.

When to Seek Emergency Care Instead

Most sprains and strains can be managed with first aid and a physiotherapy assessment, but some signs mean you should go straight to urgent care or the emergency room:

**A visible deformity or a joint that looks out of place

**An audible snap or pop followed by an inability to bear weight or use the limb

**Numbness, tingling, or a limb that appears pale or cold

**Severe, worsening pain not controlled by rest and ice

**Any head injury with loss of consciousness, confusion, or worsening headache

Why Early Physiotherapy Assessment Matters

Seeing a physiotherapist early — ideally within the first week — does more than confirm what you already suspect. It shapes the entire trajectory of your recovery.

What Happens at a Physiotherapy Assessment

History taking — How the injury happened, your sport, and relevant medical history help narrow down what structures are likely involved.

Hands-on examination — Your physiotherapist palpates and moves the area to identify which tissues are affected and how severely.

Movement analysis — Squatting, walking, or sport-specific movements reveal how your body is compensating around the injury.

Special tests — Balance testing and side-to-side comparisons of strength and flexibility help confirm the diagnosis and establish a baseline to track progress against.

Treatment Approaches That Speed Recovery

Manual Therapy

Hands-on techniques — soft tissue massage, joint mobilization, and targeted stretching — reduce pain and restore movement, complementing your active rehab program.

Exercise Therapy

A progressive program of pain-free movement, strength building, and balance training is the core of most recoveries. This is not a return to full training on day one — it's a structured build-up designed to restore function without risking re-injury.

Adjunct Therapies

Modalities such as TENS, therapeutic laser, ultrasound, and taping are sometimes used alongside manual and exercise therapy to manage pain and support tissue healing, particularly in the early stages.

Recovery Timelines by Injury Type

Injury Type  : Typical Early Approach 

Ankle sprain   Initial gentle motion, progressing to strength and balance training 

Muscle strain   Begin with pain-free movement, followed by gradual stretching and strengthening 

Tendinitis   Focus on load management, progressive strengthening, and technique adjustment over an extended period. 

Every injury and every athlete heals at a different pace. As a general rule, you're ready to return to full activity when you have full strength, no pain during the activity, no compensation or limping, and confidence in the injured area under load.

Preventing the Next Injury

Recovery is also a window for prevention. A physiotherapist can screen your movement patterns, identify underlying issues like muscle imbalances or restricted mobility, and build a program to address them — reducing the likelihood of the same injury, or a related one, happening again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use ice or heat for a new sports injury?

Ice is generally recommended in the first 48–72 hours after an acute injury to help control swelling and pain. Heat is more appropriate later in recovery, once acute swelling has settled, to help relax tight muscles and improve blood flow.

How soon after a sports injury should I see a physiotherapist?

Ideally within the first week. Early assessment identifies the severity of the injury, rules out anything requiring further medical investigation, and allows treatment to begin before compensation patterns or stiffness set in.

Is rest or movement better for a sprain or strain?

A short period of rest and protection in the first 24–48 hours is appropriate, but prolonged complete rest can slow healing. Most sprains and strains recover faster with an early transition to gentle, pain-free movement guided by a physiotherapist.

How do I know if my injury needs emergency care instead of physiotherapy?

Signs that warrant emergency care include visible deformity, an audible snap followed by inability to bear weight, numbness or a cold/pale limb, severe uncontrolled pain, or any head injury involving loss of consciousness or confusion.

Get Back in the Game Faster

Sports injuries feel like a setback, but with the right first aid and an early physiotherapy assessment, most athletes recover fully — and some come back stronger than before. If you're in Nanaimo and dealing with a fresh injury or one that hasn't fully healed, book an assessment with Bayview Physiotherapy at Woodgrove Pines Health Clinic.

About the author: Dag Ronhovde, BSc.PT, is a physiotherapist at Bayview Physiotherapy, Woodgrove Pines Health Clinic, Nanaimo, BC.

Have questions about a recent injury? Contact Bayview Physiotherapy or call 250-390-2003.