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SPORTS & FITNESS
From Issue #5
Sports Injuries
Should you heat it up or cool it down?
By
Dr. Bruce Topp, M.D.
 Before
you decide you first need to understand what happens when an
injury occurs. The classic reaction is redness, swelling, heat
and pain.
The
best way to combat inflammation is to reverse the above process.
For this, ice is your best bet. Not only does it reduce swelling,
it also acts as a local anaesthetic, numbing painful nerve endings.
Ice can actually increase circulation through the injured area,
through a remarkable process called reactive hyperemia (see
insert).
| Reactive
Hyperemia
If you put an ice cube inside a small plastic bag and
hold it against your skin for about five minutes you will
notice that redness occurs after the ice has been removed
and persists for several minutes later. This delayed reaction
to cold, and the associated increase in circulation is caused
by reactive hyperemia. Because of this process, blood flows
through cool tissues, carrying away harmful inflammatory
fluids. |
While
heat also increases circulation, it dilates vessels which means
it increases inflammation. "Hot" tissue can accelerate
the accumulation of irritating inflammatory fluid thereby intensifying
pain. So save the heat for where it is truly beneficial: for
stiff chronically inflamed joints.
The
amount of icing necessary depends on the size of the injured
area. A sprained toe, for example, needs less 'ice time' than
an injured back. In general, apply an ice pack for 10 -15 minutes,
three to four times per day and continue with these treatments
until the pain and inflammation have completely disappeared.
And don't worry if you didn't apply ice immediately after your
injury; it's never too late for some cold comfort.
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