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I read on https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=RICE_(medicine)&oldid=732386650

RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) is considered a first-aid treatment, rather than a cure for soft tissue injuries. […] Exceeding the recommended time for ice application may be detrimental, as it has been shown to delay healing.[citation needed]

Is there any study that confirmed or infirmed that claim?

I am mostly interested in tendinopathies.

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Of course. Icing helps by numbing the pain sensation, thereby providing relief. If iced continuously it would lead to tissue damage with exact same effect of exposing your skin to below freezing temps. Frost bite but from within.

Tried to ELI5 as much as possible. Hope it helps.

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  • Thanks. Aside from the risk of frostbite, can exceeding the recommended icing time for ice application delay healing?
    – Franck Dernoncourt
    Oct 16 '17 at 16:10
  • This article suggests that topical cooling or icing would delay healing. But, that is not true if there is compression and elevation as well. The purpose is to split rice in exact proportions, overdoing any of the three would hamper the healing process.
    – Kon Hai Woh
    Oct 16 '17 at 17:22

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