Ice is nice!!! You may not be sure why you should be using cold therapy with your injury. Also, what is the proper way to ice an affected area?
Purpose of cold therapy
Most times when you have an injury you have an increase in swelling and inflammation in a specific region. Ice helps to reduce swelling and inflammation which will help to facilitate healing.
Ice helps to constrict (closes down) blood vessels which allows the body to pump excess fluid out of an area. Heat, on the other hand, dilates (opens up) the blood vessels which brings more fluid in.
Directions for using ice
In the age-long heat versus ice debate, I have always been a fan of ice. If you know me by now I always recommend ice and rarely heat for your injuries. One of the main reasons is that what do you see most professional athletes do after each game? Most of the time they have a bag of ice on an area or they are heading into an ice bath. I figure if they are worth millions of dollars and are using cold therapy then we probably should too!
For more information about ice as well as heat check out this great infographic.
While cold therapy is great, remember that it does not take the place of chiropractic adjustments! It is a great and effective tool you can use to help speed up the healing process.
If you or anyone you know are looking for a chiropractor in Frisco, Plano, The Colony, Prosper, McKinney, or any other surrounding areas look no further than Express Chiropractic of Frisco! Remember you never need an appointment, we have late hours most days and are even open on Saturdays. We hope to see you for an adjustment and massage soon!