WhentouseHeatvsIce

Heat(thermotherapy)andice(cryotherapy)arebothveryusefultoolsinhealing
andpainmanagement.Itisimportanttoknowwhentousewhichtherapy.When
heatisappliedtoanew(acute)inflammatoryinjury,thevasodilationitcausescan
overwhelminjuredbloodandlymphaticvesselsincreasinginflammationandblood
vesseldamage.Herearesometipsonwhenandhowtouseheatandice.

Whentouseice:
Immediatelypostinjuryandupto72hrspostinjuryduringtheacute
inflammatoryphase
Aftersurgerytohelpreducepainandswelling
Tohelpresolveacuteorchronicmusclespasm
Tohelpeaseacuteorchronicpain
WhenNOTtouseice:
Onanopenwound
Ifyouhavedecreasedcoldsensitivityorhypersensitivityorcoldallergy
Ifyouhaveanycirculatoryorsensoryimpairment
IfyouhaveRaynaudsorcoldurticaria
Howtouseice:
Wrapadamptowelorclotharoundtheicetoprotectskinwhileincreasing
theconductionofcold
Useicepacks,orbagswithicecubesbecausetheycontourthebodywell
Keepiceonfor2030minutesandallow90minutesinbetweensessionsfor
tissuerewarming
Watchoutforskinblanching,numbness,burningortingling
Howdoesicinghelp?
Coldapplicationdecreasestissuemetabolismandcausesvasoconstriction,
slowingbloodflow.Thishelpsinhibittheinflammatoryresponseandhelpstobreak
thepainspasmcycle.

Whentouseheat:
Tohelphealchronicinjuries
Toreducespasmandmuscleguarding
Toincreasebloodflowandrangeofmotion
Toresolvehematoma
Tofacilitatehealing
Torelievejointcontracturesandfightinfection
WhenNOTtouseheat:
Duringtheacuteinflammatorystageofaninjury
Ifyouhaveimpairedorpoorcirculationandsensation
Torelievechronicpain
Ifyouhaveimpairedthermoregulation
HowtoUseHeat:

Donotapplyheatdirectlytotheskinforhotpacksusemoisttowelsto
protectyourskin
Youshouldneverfeelmorethanmildtomoderateheat
Applyheatfor1530minutesdependingontypeofheat
Discusswithyourtherapistwhatkindofheattherapywouldbestsuityour
needs,andthedurationoftheapplication
Checktheareaafter5minutesofheattoensureskinisingoodcondition
Howdoesheathelp?
Heatapplicationcausesvasodilationandthereforeincreasescirculationwhich
causesaninfluxofoxygenandnutrientstopromotehealingintheinjuredtissues.
Heatapplicationcanincreaseextensibilityoftissueandisthereforeveryuseful
beforestretching.

References:
Anderson,MaciaK.,SusanJ.Hall,MelissaMartin.FoundationsofAtheltic
TrainingPrevention,Assessment,andManagement.ThirdEdition.Pensylvania:
LipincottWilliams&Wilkins,2005