Muscular injuries?

Question

whats the difference between treating a muscle injury with heat or ice

Answer 1

you want to use the ice if you are hoping to slow down the inflammatory response - in other words, when the injury is new. Ice is also nice becuase it numbs the pain.

Heat is helpful when stiffness has set in, but you do need to be careful not to heat too early = this enhances the inflammatory response.

When in doubt, remember that you will never hurt yourself with ice, but you could with heat.

(when icing, put ice cubes in a plastic bag. Put a thin, wet dishtowel over the body part and put the ice on the towel. Ice for 15-20 min. Take off the ice, and do not re-apply until the body part is back to room temperature.)

Answer 2

treat with ice the first 24 hours for the swelling. then alternate heat and ice. You may have to go with Ice longer if there is continual swelling. That's all the ice is for. Numbness and swelling.