Navigating First Aid protocols: How do you balance RICE vs PEACE & LOVE

mjoywarde · December 8, 2025, 2:19am

Hi there, I’m currently working through the Pole Movement instructor training and had a question about the section on treating minor injuries.

The course recommends the PEACE & LOVE protocol, which I understand is now considered best practice compared to the older RICE method taught in many first aid courses. I know instructors are expected to follow the guidelines outlined in their first aid certification, but I also want to make sure I’m supporting students in the most up-to-date, evidence-based way.

I’d love your thoughts on how instructors can navigate situations where first aid training and newer best-practice recommendations don’t fully align. Is there a way to apply the principles of PEACE & LOVE while still adhering to first aid requirements? And if you have any advice on approaching these conversations in a positive and constructive way with other instructors or studio owners, I’d really appreciate it.

My first thoughts are that I feel like most of RICE is represented in the PEACE part of the protocol—compression and elevation are still there, and “Protect” is essentially a form of rest. The biggest conflict in my mind is the use of ice. For example, could we say to a student who seems to be in pain: “I can get you an ice pack if you’d like, as it can help reduce pain in the short term. But if it’s not too bad, you might be better off skipping it, since we know that allowing inflammation to occur naturally can actually aid the tissue repair process.” This way, the student has a say in how they’d like it managed. Does that sound like a reasonable way to balance both approaches? Would love everyone’s thoughts!

simonelmuscat · December 8, 2025, 7:08am

Hi Madeleine! You’re absolutely right: PEACE & LOVE reflects the most current, evidence-based approach to managing minor soft-tissue injuries that healthcare professionals now use worldwide, whereas many first aid courses still teach RICE simply because large training organisations take longer to update their content. Instructors do need to follow the guidelines outlined in their first aid certification, but there are ways to honour the spirit of both approaches without stepping outside your scope.

Here’s what I would suggest and is helpful to keep in mind:

1. Most of PEACE & LOVE doesn’t conflict with RICE

As you mentioned, many elements overlap:

Protect covers the “rest” component
Elevation and compression remain best practice in both frameworks
There is now an emphasis on education, early movement and optimism in the new framework
The main point of difference is ice, and even there, the biggest concern is about prolonged or excessive use rather than short-term symptom relief.

2. You can still use PEACE & LOVE principles while following your first aid requirements

In practice, this often looks like offering ice as an option, rather than insisting on it. For example:

“I can grab an ice pack if you’d like — it can help reduce pain in the short term. If it’s only mild discomfort, sometimes letting the body go through its natural inflammatory process can support healing. Totally up to you.”

This keeps you within first aid guidelines and aligns with current evidence. You should always document in these instances that you provided the option of ice to the student/patient. At the end of the day, if the student or studio insists on utilising ice for pain relief, then use it in the following way:

Ice the area for 5-10 at most until the pain is reduced in intensity. The ice is there to lightly reduce the pain, it will not help with swelling or swelling prevention. It takes >20 minutes of icing to cool down beyond the surface of the skin, so keeping ice on the body for a small amount of time will not significantly slow down the healing result.

Focus on elevation and compression with your patient instead, and provide lots of reassurance and optimism - all of which are central to PEACE & LOVE and fully within a first aider’s scope.

3. Approaching conversations with other instructors or studio owners

When it comes to discussing your new PEACE & LOVE knowledge with other instructors or studio owners, you can use with the following strategies:

Lead with reassurance, not correction.
e.g. RICE isn’t wrong — it’s just been refined as research has evolved.
Highlight the overlap, so it doesn’t feel like a complete change.
Frame it as student-centred: ‘This gives us options to support students based on how they’re feeling.’ Not every student likes or wants ice. If a student would like ice then we shouldn’t deny it unless there is a direct contraindication (i.e fracture)
Make it clear you’re not replacing your first aid knowledge, just enhancing your understanding as an instructor.
Provide direct links to the research if your studio is interested in reading: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/2/72

4. When in doubt — follow first aid training first

If your studio requires you to abide to the RICE protocol, then simply continue to use it. However as discussed above, you can continue to apply the PEACE & LOVE protocol safely around it. And short term use of ice will not cause too much harm.

Hope that helps!