What do you grab first when you injure yourself to help with the pain? I bet it’s the bag of peas from the freezer right!? Ice has been used as the “go-to” pain reducer for a long time…but will it stay that way? This is because ice is a way to reduce inflammation.
Inflammation is the body’s natural way of healing when responding to injury. If uncontrolled, the inflammatory process can be excruciating and that’s why we want to grab the ice pack. It is found that ice is proper for treating an acute injury within the first 48 hours (1). Use it for 20 min at a time.
Heat is what’s used after the first 48 hours (about 2 days) to help improve blood flow and metabolism in the affected area to jump-start the healing process (2). Heat is also a good pain reliever and great for chronic injuries as it increases the elasticity of connective tissues (2). Use it for 20 min at a time and don’t sleep with the heat on.
To break it down simply from the research if there is a sprain/strain injury with pain and some swelling- ice for the first 48 hours (about 2 days) only and heat afterward (1). If there is muscle soreness or low back pain- use heat over ice to feel better the fastest (2). There is more connective tissue found in the low back, so it makes sense to use heat!
Michel P.J. van den Bekerom, Peter A.A. Struijs, Leendert Blankevoort, Lieke Welling, C. Niek van Dijk, Gino M.M.J. Kerkhoffs; What Is the Evidence for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation Therapy in the Treatment of Ankle Sprains in Adults?. J Athl Train 1 July 2012; 47 (4): 435–443. doi: https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-47.4.14
Malanga, G. A., Yan, N., & Stark, J. (2015). Mechanisms and efficacy of heat and cold therapies for musculoskeletal injury. Postgraduate medicine, 127(1), 57-65.
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