Treating Minor Sports Injuries: The Proper Use of Heat and Ice

You sprain your ankle jogging or injure your elbow on the tennis courts. It's a little painful, but not enough for a doctor's visit. So what do you do? Luckily, most minor injuries can be treated at home. And if your symptoms aren't too serious, a little heat and ice might do the trick.

The problem is that most people aren't sure when to use which one. They often apply heat when they should be using ice, and vice-versa. But this can sometimes make the problem worse. If you're going to treat your own injuries, you need to know how to do it correctly.

Using Ice

Ice is normally used to bring down swelling, plus it can relieve pain. It works best on new injuries to reduce any swelling.

Ice reduces swelling by constricting blood vessels. It can be a very effective anti-inflammatory. But there are some basic rules you need to follow:

• Ice the injury as soon as possible. The longer you go without it, the less effective it is
• Don't put ice directly on your injury. Put it in a plastic bag and wrap it in a thin towel so it doesn't freeze your skin
• Never ice more than 15 minutes at a time. Doing so can lead to frostbite. Remove the ice if the area starts to feel numb. Do not use ice if you have diabetes, or problems with your nerves or blood vessels
• Wait at least 20 to 30 minutes before reapplying it, so your skin can warm back up. You can use ice three or four times a day if needed
• In the meantime, keep the swollen area elevated above the level of your heart
• Use an elastic wrap to compress a sprained ankle for at least a couple of days. Do not wrap it too tight and never overnight

Finally, remember that ice usually works best during the first 48 to 72 hours of an injury.

Using heat

Heat speeds up healing by stimulating blood circulation. That's why it should only be applied when there is no swelling. Otherwise, the pain may feel worse.

Heat is often advised for strained muscles and joint pain. But you can apply it to some other injuries once the swelling goes down. And some athletes use heat on problem joints before they work out.

You can apply heat in a variety of ways, including:

• Hot towels, preferably wet ones
• Heating pads
• Microwaveable packs
• Self-activating patches

But no matter how you apply it, you have to be careful with heat:

• Never apply it directly after a workout, when circulation is already strong. Use ice instead
• Do not fall asleep or leave heating pads unattended. This can be dangerous
• Do not lie on top of a heating pad. This can trap heat and cause burns
• Do not apply heating pads or towels for longer than 15 minutes. Let skin temperature return to normal before reapplying. You can use heat three or four times a day
• Place a layer of cloth between your skin and the heating pad to avoid burns

Know When to Get Help

You also need to be careful. Some injuries are too severe to be treated at home. Seek immediate medical help if you have an injury with:

• Severe pain
• Numbness in an extremity, in foot or hand, or if an extremity is pale or bluish or feels cool to the touch
• Inability to move or bear weight
• Hear a popping sound or snapping sensation
• Any deformity of the joint (misshapen)

It is important to call your doctor right away if you have medical problems such as osteoporosis, diabetes or nerve damage, or if you are taking blood thinners.

Also, call your doctor if a minor sprain or other injury starts to feel worse or doesn't improve after 72 hours of self-treatment.

But even if you feel completely recovered, start back exercising at a slow pace. Use pain as a guide. If it hurts, lay off for a while. If you hurt yourself again, you might not be so lucky the second time around.