Soft Tissue Injuries – PEACE and LOVE

PEACE and LOVE are the latest acronyms describing the management for looking after soft tissue injuries.

PEACE is for the ‘acute’ phase – the first 72 hours after injury.

LOVE is for the ‘sub-acute’ phase – from 4 days after the injury onwards.

The PEACE and LOVE approach will help optimise your recovery.

PEACE

The first 72 hours – Immediately after a soft tissue injury, do no harm and let PEACE guide your approach.

Protection/pace yourself
Avoid activities and movements that increase pain during the first few days after injury.

Elevation
Raise the injured limb higher than the heart as often as possible. You can support this with pillows.

Avoid anti-inflammatories
Avoid taking anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen and icing the injury as they can reduce tissue healing in the early stages.

Compression
Use elastic bandages or taping to reduce swelling.

Education
Your body knows best. Let nature play its role. Seek advice and support from health care professionals regarding how to approach recovery

LOVE

For day four onwards – after the first days have passed, soft tissues need LOVE.

Load
‘Load’ means weight bearing. Let pain guide your gradual return to normal activities. Your body will tell you when it is safe to increase load and your activity levels.

Optimism
Stay positive! Studies have shown positivity and confidence will help condition your brain for a better recovery.

Vascularisation
Increasing blood flow to the injured area. Choose pain-free cardiovascular activities to increase blood flow to promote tissue healing. This could be walking or cycling.

Exercise/early mobilisation
Restore mobility, strength and coordination by adopting an active approach to recovery. Pay close attention to your pain levels. Knock on the door of pain, but do not go in!

Soft tissue healing can take 6-12 weeks. If you experience continued discomfort after your injury, please speak to a health care professional.

Please contact your GP, 111 or attend your local Emergency Department if there are signs of serious injury such as:

• Deformity
• Severe swelling
• Severe pain
• Inability to weight bear.

Contact numbers

We hope that you have found this information useful. If you have any questions or are worried about anything, please speak to the Dorset County Hospital staff:

Orthopaedics – Purbeck Ward: 01305 255593
Orthopaedics – Ridgeway: 01305 255562
DCH Outpatient Physiotherapy: 01305 255314
Weymouth Outpatient Physiotherapy: 01305 762621

About this leaflet

Author: Olivia Coogan, Physiotherapist
Written: October 2023
Approved: October 2023
Review date: October 2026
Edition: v1

If you have feedback regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this leaflet, or if you would like a list of references used to develop this leaflet, please email patientinformation.leaflets@dchft.nhs.uk