Ice vs Heat for Ankle Injury?

Question

So I sprained my ankle again for the upteenth time. I'm icing it as I usually do, but I know for some injuries it's twenty minutes heat, twenty minute ice. Does this apply to a (severe) sprained ankle too? And if so, for how long a day?

Answer 1

no u dont want to use heat for a sprined ankle.. heat allows blood to rush to the sprain creating more swelling for you. plus the next day it will be really stiff. just keep the leg elevated above ur heart and ice for twenty off and on.. the main thing to keep the blood for clotting in the spain. Less blood means less stiffness.. but then again if this is your upteenth time spraining it.. u should have ur own routine down for this... severe ankle sprains can linger for up to a week or two.. main this to keep pressure off and ice till swelling is down.. if you play sports i suggest an ankle wrap for more support once you heal..

Answer 2

Protect the sprained ankle.
This is quite simple, but amazingly common for people to forget. Don't walk on the sprained ankle, and protect it from further contact by immobilizing with a splint or brace.

REST.
Take a few days off of your feet. You don't have to be inactive, but be sure the ankle is being rested. Possible exercises you can do include swimming and cycling.

ICE.
This can be done several times a day for 15-20 minutes. This will keep the swelling to a minimum. Do NOT ice for more than 20 minutes, it will do more damage than good. For more information about icing an injury, read on...

COMPRESSION.
This does not have to be all of the time, but particularly when your foot is not elevated it would be advisable. A simple Ace wrap is fine for light compression.

ELEVATE.
This will also help to minimize the swelling that takes place. A few pillows under the ankle should be fine to get the leg up enough while keeping the injured limb comfortable.

Seek professional help.
While most ankle injuries are simple and heal naturally over a short time, some injuries are more severe and can necessitate more aggressive treatment.

Tips:
Never ice for more than 20 minutes.
Many people think the more the better, but this is not true! Maximum ice time should be 20 minutes every few hours. Read on for more information about icing an injury.

Get creative with icing your sprained ankle.
A bag of frozen corn or peas makes a great ice pack -- and it's both reusable and edible.

Compression bandages should be snug, not tight.
If too tight, your circulation will be impaired, and the healing process slowed

Answer 3

Sprained Ankle Ice Or Heat

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Ice vs Heat for Ankle Injury?
So I sprained my ankle again for the upteenth time. I'm icing it as I usually do, but I know for some injuries it's twenty minutes heat, twenty minute ice. Does this apply to a (severe) sprained ankle too? And if so, for how long a day?

Answer 5

The recipe for any minor injury is RICE. Not the fluffy white stuff, but Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.

Rest means get off of it or stop using it, like using crutches or a sling. Ice is cold therapy and you want cold, alternating off and on as you mention, and only cold for the first 48 hours or so, then switching to heat. Compression is an Ace wrap or other elastic bandage, leaving fingers or two uncovered to check for good circulation. And elevating is just propping it up, preferably above heart level, to decrease swelling.

If you have diabetes, paralysis, loss of sensation or otherwise have impaired circulation or perception of pain, do not use heat or cold without a doctor's direct supervision. If you are normal, stick to cold packs for the first couple of days. Cold constricts blood vessels and reduces any ozzing into the tissues. Heat may feel good, but it may slow healing if used too soon in trauma.

A severe sprain, one you cannot weight bear at all, for example, is not a do-it-yourself project. If you aren't sure it's minor, get a doctor's evaluation.

Answer 6

You want to ice an injury for the first 24 hours. The ice will cause blood vessels to constrict and this will prevent a lot of fluid loss into the tissues. Keeping the fluid loss down will reduce swelling and the ice also helps with the pain. After 24 hours apply heat. The heat causes the blood vessels to dilate and therefore pull off any fluids that did leak out and this reduces any swelling you did get. I recommend ice, 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. Make sure to wrap the ice in a towel, don't put ice directly on the skin.

Answer 7

I badly sprained my ankle about 3 weeks ago. I was in a hurry going down the stairs, lost my balance and landed on a bad side of my left foot, causing my left ankle to be stretched going on the inside. The first 48 hours were excruciating and the pain was un-believable. I've never had a serious ankle injury before.

So I immediately treated it using the RICE method. The following day, the bruising and swelling were so horrible. I found out that I got a second degree sprain and immediately panicked after that. I had a football game on that week and it been looking forward to it because I've been training for rt. I had teammates that had similar injuries and it took them months to fully recover, some of them stopped playing altogether. So I kinda had a short-term depression because I can't imagine myself not being able to run and play sports anymore.

Because I was so desperate to recover again, I contacted a lot of people that I know who do sports and asked them if they had similar injuries. One friend of mine, from the boy's football team in my university, told me about H.E.M. Ankle Rehab. I got a copy 4 days after I got injured. I immediately read and followed what was instructed and felt improvement on the first day. I was able to walk a bit, but I was in pain.

A couple of days after that, the swelling and bruising were subsid-ing significantly and on the fourth day, I was walking comfortably again. Although I've had felt a bit of stiffness, I continued doing what was instructed. My sister was surprised that I have recovered this fast. I told her about this book and was shocked on how effective the procedures were. I'm just so happy that this book was shared to me and how effective it is.

Heal your ankle fully & fast?

Answer 8

I have been told by Dr. to put ice on a new injury
and heat on an old injury

Answer 9

No just ice for a couple of days then you can use some heat. Ice is being used more and more and less heat!

Answer 10

Should you ice or heat an injury?
Ice packs and heat pads are among the most commonly used treatments in orthopedics. So which one is the right one to use, ice or heat? 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 a recent injury (within the last 48 hours), where swelling is a problem, you should be using ice treatment. Ice packs can help minimize swelling around the injury.
Ice packs are commonly used after injuries such as an ankle sprain. Applying an ice pack early and often for the first 48 hours will help minimize swelling. 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. Never ice a chronic injury before activity. However, icing after activity will help control the inflammatory response.

Heat Treatment
Heat treatments should be used for chronic conditions to help relax and loosen tissues, and to stimulate blood flow to the area. Use heat treatments on chronic 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 (see above). 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 a limited time (be careful of burns). Never leave heating pads or towels on for extended periods or while sleeping.

Ice or Heat?

Ice or Heat?
Ice Heat
When To Use Use ice after an acute injury, such as an ankle sprain, or after activities that irritate a chronic injury, such as shin splints. Use heat before activities that irritate chronic injuries such as muscle strains. Heat can help loosen tissues and relax injured areas.
How To Do It Read through the information on How to Ice an Injury. Find several ways to ice an injury. Heating pads or hot wet towels are both excellent methods. Place a washcloth under hot tap water and then apply to the injured area.
For How Long Apply ice treatments for no longer than 20 minutes at a time. Too much ice can do harm, even cause frostbite; it is not "better" to ice excessively. It is not necessary to apply a heat treatment for more than about 20 minutes at a time. Never apply heat while sleeping.
Updated: January 14, 2007More Information
How to Ice an Injury
Injuries
Overuse Conditions
Sprain and Strains
More Treatment Information
Anti-Inflammatory Medications
Cortisone Injections
Physical Therapy
Related Articles
Sprain and Strain Treatments - Top Treatments for Sprai...
Information About Orthopedic Treatments, Rehab, and The...
Heat vs. Cold Therapy for Injuries
Orthopedics - HowTos
What to Do for Your Sports Injury