Page 54 - SFM DEC 2019 .indd

Ice or Heat??

By: Dr Sally Blossom
It is a question I get daily when it comes to injuries and pain: “Should I use Ice or
Heat?”. Many think it is either one or the other, but not both. Some don’t even know
when you should ice or heat. Both can help us, so let’s explore how to use them prop-
erly.

Ice works by reducing blood flow to the affected area and numbing the pain fibers.
When blood flow is reduced, inflammation and swelling is reduced. This helps ease the
pressure and pain around the affected area. Ice is great for acute injuries in particular.
These are injuries that have happened in the past 48 hours. Ice is also good for overuse
injuries and decreasing the inflammation felt for those types.

There are a couple of precautions to take when using ice. Don’t place the ice pack
directly on the skin. Make sure there is a towel or some sort of barrier between the ice
pack and skin. Also, make sure not to ice for more than 30 minutes. After 30 mins, the
risk for ice burns and muscle spasm creation increases by quite a bit.

Heat does just the opposite. Heat increases blood flow and circulation to the af-
fected area. When circulation is increased to the area, it can help heal tissues and
soothe sore muscles. Heat is great for chronic injuries (injuries that are older than 48-
72 hours). If you are sore after a particularly hard practice or game, heat can be your
friend as long as there was no acute (new) injury.

Precautions when using heat include making sure there are no bruises or open
wounds in the area (ice would be better here). Also, making sure there are no underly-
ing conditions such as diabetes, dermatitis or vascular issues. Heat can be used longer
than ice and the effects may become greater with longer use.

Sometimes, you can use both. If there is inflammation and muscle spasm/involve-
ment, a combination of the two can really help. I like to tell people to heat first to
soothe the muscles and joints, then ice to take out the inflammation. Some people
reverse this depending on how they respond to the combination.

Hopefully, this clears up the great debate on ice or heat for you and you will be able
to put this information to good use.

Dr. Sally Blossom is a 4th generation chiropractor who serves student athletes and
their families from all over the Thumb and Flint areas.

54 a• Sports Finest Magazine DEC 2019 sportsfinestMagzine.com 989 545 0735 kelly@sportsfinestmagazine.com