Icing Injuries

‘Put some ice on it’

It’s generally the first thing we hear when someone gets injured or hurts themselves. You may even find yourself saying it without even noticing – almost as if automatic. But why do we ice our injuries? What are the benefits of icing? And if so, then how is it producing these benefits?

There are many forms of ice or cold application, from ice pack, ice massage, cold water immersion and the recently popularized cryotherapy. Each modality is slightly different, but each are also trying to achieve the same goal – to reduce tissue temperature. Pretty much undisputed is the fact that ice acts as a pain reliever, and those of us who have used it for an injury can back that claim. The instant relief felt after a few minutes exposed to a cold application is achieved by cold reducing the neural impulses related to pain (basically meaning your brain doesn’t get the e-mail telling it that you’re in pain).

So that’s great, after an injury we all want to be in less pain – that’s a given – and if that means we can take less painkillers then we are going to feel all the better for it. The fact that we’re in less pain also means we may be able to move around more freely, relieving joint and injury related stiffness and possibly speeding up recovery and our return to activity - a treatment called Cryokinetics.

But what about inflammation?

The theory is that cold exposure will reduce metabolic rate and blood flow to the area, thus reducing swelling of the area. We need to understand that swelling is a natural bodily response, but excessive swelling can also cause issues and hamper our ability to recover and return to activity, it’s a balancing act.  

There are however limited studies supporting the fact that icing reduces swelling in human subjects. Some studies go on to suggest that icing could do the exact opposite of what it is intended to do and actually increase metabolic rate thus increasing swelling. This is a subject that causes much controversy on the subject and cannot be categorically answered.

So, what should you do when you get injured? Take a well-rounded approach to injury management and be realistic about the true benefits of applying ice. Ice is not really a treatment, but a form of pain relief (an effective and free one), just like Ibuprofen. If it has any benefits beyond that then it is currently anecdotal and is yet to be definitively proven. It can be great in the moments and hours following an injury to help reduce pain and to possibly limit the amount of swelling built up. After that I believe it should be used to help relieve pain and encourage healthy, safe levels of movement – and if you’re not sure what that is then make an appointment to see someone who does.