Walkertown At Home Care

Ice packs and heating pads are among the most commonly used treatments for athletic injuries. So which one is the right one to use? And how long should the ice or heat treatments last? Read on for information about treatment of injuries with ice packs and heating pads.

ICE TREATMENT

Ice treatment is most commonly used for acute injuries. If you have had a recent injury (within the last 48 hours) where swelling is a problem, you should be using ice. Ice packs can help minimize swelling around the injury, reduce bleeding into the tissues, and reduce muscle spasm and pain.

Ice packs are often used after injuries like ankle sprains have occurred. Applying an ice pack early and often for the first 48 hours will help minimize swelling, and decreasing swelling around an injury will help to control the pain. Ice treatments may also be used for chronic conditions, such as overuse injuries in athletes. In this case, ice the injured area after activity to help control inflammation. Never ice a chronic injury before activity.

You can make ice packs with ice cubes in a plastic bag or wet towel; a pack of frozen peas is also ideal. You can also make a reusable ice pack that will form to the injured body part; combine 2 cups of water and 1 cup of 70% rubbing alcohol in a 1 quart or 1 gallon freezer safe bag. Use 2 bags to prevent leaking. Freeze for at least 1 hour, and your reusable ice pack is ready to go!

Never place ice directly on an injury; keep a barrier (like a thin cloth or towel) between the ice and skin. Never treat with ice for more than 20 minutes, and remove the pack immediately if the injury appears bright pink or red.

HEAT TREATMENT

Heat treatments should be used for chronic conditions (those lasting 3 months or more) to help relax and loosen tissues and to stimulate blood flow to the area. Use heat treatments for conditions such as overuse injuries before participating in activities.

Do not use heat treatments after activity, and do not use heat after an acute injury (within the last 24 hours). Never use heat where swelling is involved because swelling is caused by bleeding in the tissue, and heat just draws more blood to the area.

Heating tissues can be accomplished using a heating pad, or even a hot, wet towel. When using heat treatments, be very careful to use a moderate heat for 10 minutes to avoid burns. Never leave heating pads or towels on for extended periods of time or while sleeping. Never heat for more than 15 minutes. If the hot pack becomes uncomfortably hot, painful or even burning, stop heating immediately.