Ice or Heat?

A question that patients commonly ask is whether to apply ice or heat to an injury or sore/tight area. The simple answer is that you should apply ice to acute injuries and moist heat can be used for injuries that are chronic.

Acute injuries have a rapid onset and progression and are usually the result of a specific impact or traumatic event to the body. The common signs of an acute injury generally include pain, swelling, tenderness at injury site and redness. Ice works to constricts blood vessels, helping to avoid muscle spasms and reduce swelling. It also slows nerve transmission of painful symptoms, which makes it a great natural pain reliever. Ice should be applied to the area of injury for 10 to 20 minutes. Thicker tissue, such as the quadriceps and hamstrings, requires 20 minutes. Thinner tissue, such as ankles and feet, requires approximately 10 minutes. Allow the area to warm for at least 45 minutes or an hour before beginning the icing routine again.

Chronic injuries are slow to develop and they are often the result of overuse, however sometimes they develop when an acute injury is not properly treated. The key characteristic of a chronic injury is that they lack inflammation or swelling. Because heat increases circulation and raises skin temperature, you should not apply heat to acute injuries or injuries that show signs of inflammation. Safely apply moist heat (i.e. a hot wet towel) to an injury 15 to 20 minutes at a time and use enough layers between your skin and the heating source to prevent burns.

Because some injuries can be serious, you should see your doctor if your injury does not improve (or gets worse) within 48 hours.