Hot or Cold?
Most of the times when you get an injury, there is the debate whether you should use cold therapy or heat therapy. I get asked that question multiple times during therapy sessions with my clients. Let’s talk about what the benefits are for heat therapy and cold therapy. I am going to mention specifically the use of ice and heat (moist heat or dry heat), things that can be purchased in your local pharmacy.
Heat Therapy
- Includes use of (microwavable or electrical heating pads)
Benefits of Heat:
- Increases blood flow to injured region
- Relieve muscle spasms/trigger points
- Improve muscle flexibility
- Promote tissue healing
- Reduce pain
Examples of when to use heat:
- Chronic injuries
- After a long day at the office
**When applying heat, be sure to keep it on for no more than 20 minutes unless specified by a health care practitioner
Cold Therapy
- Includes use of freezable gel packs, ice cubes
- Decreases inflammation
- Reduces blood flow to injured region
- Decreases muscle spasm
- Reduces pain
- Reduces bruising
Examples of when to use ice:
- Acute injury (occurred within 24 hours)
- Swelling to the joint that is warm to touch
- Cooling down after an intense workout
** When applying ice, do not leave on for more than 20 minutes and make sure you always have a layer (towel) between the ice and the skin
Which one should I use?
Now the answer to this question depends on how long your injury has been and how your injury presents itself. If it is warm to the touch, swollen, and recent I would consider using ice. If the injury has been there for a while, there are a lot of muscle spasms and tightness, then I would consider using heat. Now please note that all individuals are different and some people might be more sensitive to heat/ice and may even have an allergic reaction to ice/cold (Reynaud’s Disease). Please consult with a healthcare professional before applying either if you are unsure!
