Next time a patient hobbles in with a sprained ankle, maybe all they need is PEACE and LOVE — not RICE. 

Two Canadian physiotherapists have devised new acronyms for recovery from soft tissue injuries, which recommend avoiding ice and anti-inflammatories in the early phases of injury.

The pair, writing in the British Journal of Sports Medicine blog, say ice and anti-inflammatories may be detrimental to long-term tissue healing as the various stages of inflammation contribute to optimal soft tissue regeneration .

Blaise Dubois and Jean Francois Esculier, who practise at a physiotherapy clinic specialising in running injuries, also point out their acronyms PEACE and LOVE look beyond the acute injury phase.