Prevention is better than a cure - however if you do get injured, prompt effective treatment will enable you to return to full fitness quicker with preventative knowledge for the future. Ignoring the problem until it goes away invites ineffective scar formations and you run a higher risk of the problem returning.

Rest - If you are injured you should stop and rest immediately. Pain is there to let you know something is wrong. By ignoring the signs you will more than likely exacerbate the problem by continuing.

Ice - Ice is a valuable way of reducing the amount of inflammation at the site of injury. Through reducing the inflammation you can reduce the extent of damage and reduce pain.

Compression - When we bleed most of us know to apply pressure to assist the blood clotting mechanism to work. The same applies for sprains and strains. Sensible pressure/compression will help reduce the amount of internal bleeding taking place. This reduces the size of haematoma and consequently the size and effectiveness of remaining scar tissue.

Elevation - Elevation aids venous return and acts better as a draining mechanism rather than slowing blood down, which is a popular misconception.

NSAID - (Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) All drugs should only be taken upon the advice of a Doctor. The use of NSAID is very effective in pain reduction and inflammation control. Be wary if you are asthmatic of using NSIAD. NSAID include Ibuprofen, Nurofen, Aspirin, Paracetomol.