When to heat and when to ice?

A great question from one of our students.... 

When should you use heat?  

When should you apply ice to an injury?

It's.... The Great Debate!!!   

ICE, ice baby

• use on injury sites 
• for inflammation, swelling, or if it's red or hot 

Hot, hot HEAT

• use for muscle soreness, muscles spasms
• use to reduce stress  

Some additional tips: 

• when icing a muscle injury (like a strain or tear) use ice the first few days to decrease inflammation, and then switch to heat 
• do not heat a fresh injury -- it will likely make the inflammation worse and cause the site to swell more 
• ice for about 30 minutes and never place the ice pack directly onto the skin (could cause frostbite) 
• a contrast bath (going back and forth from cold to hot) can be used to reduce swelling (not pain)  
• you can repeat 5 minute increments for an injury between cold and hot temps which will open and close the blood vessels to pump out the swelling 

Here's a great tip for a homemade ice pack below!  It really works!