WhentouseHeatvsIceHeat(thermotherapy)andice(cryotherapy)arebothveryusefultoolsinhealingandpainmanagement.Itisimportanttoknowwhentousewhichtherapy.Whenheatisappliedtoanew(acute)inflammatoryinjury,thevasodilationitcausescanoverwhelminjuredbloodandlymphaticvesselsincreasinginflammationandbloodvesseldamage.Herearesometipsonwhenandhowtouseheatandice.Whentouseice:

Immediatelypostinjuryandupto72hrspostinjuryduringtheacuteinflammatoryphase

Aftersurgerytohelpreducepainandswelling Tohelpresolveacuteorchronicmusclespasm Tohelpeaseacuteorchronicpain

WhenNOTtouseice: Onanopenwound Ifyouhavedecreasedcoldsensitivityorhypersensitivityorcoldallergy Ifyouhaveanycirculatoryorsensoryimpairment IfyouhaveRaynaudsorcoldurticaria

Howtouseice: Wrapadamptowelorclotharoundtheicetoprotectskinwhileincreasing

theconductionofcold Useicepacks,orbagswithicecubesbecausetheycontourthebodywell Keepiceonfor2030minutesandallow90minutesinbetweensessionsfor

tissuerewarming Watchoutforskinblanching,numbness,burningortingling

Howdoesicinghelp?Coldapplicationdecreasestissuemetabolismandcausesvasoconstriction,slowingbloodflow.Thishelpsinhibittheinflammatoryresponseandhelpstobreakthepainspasmcycle.Whentouseheat:

Tohelphealchronicinjuries Toreducespasmandmuscleguarding Toincreasebloodflowandrangeofmotion Toresolvehematoma Tofacilitatehealing Torelievejointcontracturesandfightinfection

WhenNOTtouseheat: Duringtheacuteinflammatorystageofaninjury Ifyouhaveimpairedorpoorcirculationandsensation Torelievechronicpain Ifyouhaveimpairedthermoregulation

HowtoUseHeat:

Donotapplyheatdirectlytotheskinforhotpacksusemoisttowelstoprotectyourskin

Youshouldneverfeelmorethanmildtomoderateheat Applyheatfor1530minutesdependingontypeofheat Discusswithyourtherapistwhatkindofheattherapywouldbestsuityour

needs,andthedurationoftheapplication Checktheareaafter5minutesofheattoensureskinisingoodcondition

Howdoesheathelp?Heatapplicationcausesvasodilationandthereforeincreasescirculationwhichcausesaninfluxofoxygenandnutrientstopromotehealingintheinjuredtissues.Heatapplicationcanincreaseextensibilityoftissueandisthereforeveryusefulbeforestretching.References:

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