Putting ice on an injury may prevent healing

[Genotec]

Ice on injury may prevent healing: Swelling turned on its head | Mail Online

Intresting stuff, i always used to ice fresh injuries .

 

[Vaxene]

Ice on injury may prevent healing: Swelling turned on its head | Mail Online

Intresting stuff, i always used to ice fresh injuries .

Ice is good for fresh injuries in the sense that it reduces swelling. Cold temps constrict blood vessels allowing inflammation to drop. Healing can continue then. HOWEVER, heat promotes blood circulation which is necessary to speed healing. It's kind of a catch 22. That's why with pulled muscles, I alternate ice packs and heating pad every 15 minutes for an hour to two. Seems to help pretty well...


Experience: ICU nurse for 4 years

 

[Vaxene]

Ok, I have to admit that I didn't read the article before I posted and the information about IGF was very cool. I may need to look into that myself...

 

[cm]

some of these things usually are not homogeneous for all people, but this logic and findings are really interesting, even though they go against all conventional wisdom... but I like that

 

[SD1959]

I always questioned the icing practice (especially for strains and muscle pulls) as heat "seemed" to make sense. I asked an Asian Accupunture Practitioner what she thought. Her reply was: "What feels better"?
Eastern philosophy says heat. Interesting.

 

[brineal]

theres nothing in there that qualifies the statement that ice shouldnt be used, it doesnt even say ice reduces the release of IGF from inflamed cells.. ice does not end the inflammatory response (which lasts for a long period of time) it only reduces/slows it. also, adding heat to a fresh injury will increase cellular metabolism and can lead to additional secondary hypoxic tissue damage...

 

[kid1dakota]

Thanks for that.I have seen results sililiar to this in real life practice also.