Injuries causing aches, sprains, and pulled muscles happen year-round, so it’s important to know when to apply ice and when to apply heat.

How Heat Works

• Heat opens blood vessels which helps to increase blood flow. Increasing blood flow helps provide oxygen and nutrients.
• Heat helps alleviate pain.
• Heat loosens muscles, helping them relax, and this can help increase range of motion.

When To Use Heat

• Because heat helps loosen stiff joints and tight muscles, it’s best to use heat when treating chronic conditions like recurring injuries and tight muscles.
• Heat is also a good method of pain relief for tension headaches and other chronic conditions.
• Always wait 48-72 hours before considering heat therapy.
• When in doubt, use ice.

Heat Helpful Tips

• Treat for no longer than 20 minutes at a time.
• Apply to painful area in cycles on 20-23 minutes per hour.
• Discontinue if skin becomes painful or inflamed.
• Do not lie on a hot pack. You could fall asleep and potentially burn yourself.
• Do not use heat if you have no feeling in that affected part of your body.
• Never use heat if there is swelling or bruising.
• Do not apply heat directly to skin, use a thin towel.
• Do not use heat if you have poor circulation.
• Wait 1 hour in between heat treatments.

How Ice Works

• Ice slows down blood flow to an injury.
• Ice helps to calm down damaged tissue.
• Ice helps reduce swelling and inflammation.
• Ice helps to control pain.

When To Use Ice

• Because ice slows blood flow to an injury, it’s best to use it right after an injury or activity that aggravates a chronic condition.
• Apply to the injured area within 48-72 hours in cycles of 10-20 minutes.
• Use on acute injuries such as sprains, sciatica or sudden back pain.
• Good for migraine headaches, bumps, sprains, and strains that may occur with sports, slips and falls or lifting.
• Cold therapy is also beneficial for minor burns .
• Cold therapy is also helpful in treating some overuse injuries or chronic pain in athletes.
• When in doubt, use ice!

Ice Helpful Tips

• After a new acute injury, use RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.
• Treat for no longer than 20 minutes at a time.
• During treatment, check skin every 5 minutes to make sure there is no damage such as frost bite (skin would become reddened or blistered just as when burned with heat).
• Do not apply ice directly to skin, use a thin towel as a barrier.
• Compare skin temperature to the opposite side. Once skin returns to normal temperate, it is safe to ice again.
• Wait 1 hour between cold treatments.