system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why do we elevate injuries to promote recovery? If this is the correct thing to do, why does the body send more blood to the injury?
gpt
Elevating injuries makes it easier to recirculate the blood at the injury site. Excess blood can cause unwanted swelling which could worsen the injury. Plus, blood at a lower injury site has to fight against gravity to go back to the heart. Elevating the injury site above the heart allows blood to easily flow back with gravity.

Blood to the site is not greatly affected by elevation since it's already at a high pressure when pumped by the heart.