What does PRICE stand for in the initial management of acute injuries?

• A. Protection, Rest, Ice, Circulation, Elevation
• B. Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
• C. Pain, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
• D. Protection, Rehab, Ice, Compression, Elevation

Answer: (B)

PRICE stands for Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. In the first phase after an acute injury, the goal is to limit further damage and reduce swelling. Protection prevents additional trauma to the injured area, and rest avoids stressing the tissues as they begin to respond to injury. Ice helps decrease pain and swelling through cooling and vasoconstriction. Compression provides external support and helps limit edema, while elevation uses gravity to encourage fluid drainage and further reduce swelling. This combination is why it’s the best fit for initial management.

Other options miss a key element: one changes Protection to Pain, which loses the tissue-shielding purpose; another replaces Protection with Circulation, which isn’t the protective/mechanical focus of early care; and another substitutes Rest with Rehab, which isn’t appropriate in the immediate, acute phase.