 | | Chiropractic Care Center, LLC | |
|
|  |
Injury Management: Ice or Heat?
Initially after an injury, it is best to use ice. The easiest way to remember what therapy to use - ice or heat—is to just watch any professional sporting event. After an athlete is injured, they always apply ice to the injured area.
ICE:
Cryotherapy is the use of cold in the treatment of acute trauma and subacute injury and for the decrease of discomfort following athletic workouts and rehabilitation. Cold therapy is the best choice to use in the acute (24 to 48 hours following injury) to sub-acute injuries. Usually, a minimum of 15 minutes is necessary to achieve an analgesic response. Cold therapy has been used to successfully treat spasm, facilitate muscle contraction and reduce arthritic joint pain. Precautions to using cryotherapy include patients with a sensitivity to cold conditions that are related, such as cold urticaria, cold intolerance and Raynaud's phenomenon.
HEAT:
Heat is a modality that almost always feels good. Heating injured tissue has been used for centuries for pain relief and reduction of muscle spasm.
In physical rehabilitation, locally applied heat agents are used, not only to promote relaxation and pain relief, but also to increase blood flow to facilitate tissue healing, and to prepare stiff joints and tight muscles for exercise. Heat is most commonly applied through the utilization of hot packs or heating pads. The indications for use of heat agents are to reduce pain and stiffness, reduce and alleviate muscle spasm, increase range of motion and improve overall tissue healing by increasing blood flow and nutrients to an area. Contraindications to the use of heat include sensitivity to heat and pain and changes or conditions of circulation as with Diabetes.
Dr. Tim Smykal, DC, FACO, CCSP, CKTAP, ART
Chiropractic Care Center, Menomonee Falls
Return to: Articles
Return to: Home |
|
|
|
|
|
