One of the most common medical advices for injuries is to ice them. Ice is known to decrease inflammation and pain and promote healing. But, if done wrong, icing can damage muscle tissues. So, read on to learn more about to how ice injuries effectively.
Icing: Before or After the Run?
Never ice before you begin your run. This is because if you numb a body part before you start your run, it can block the signals sent to your brain. This in turn, may make you change your gait, increasing the risk of injury. So, ice your injury after the run. When the injury is iced immediately, it initiates healing and decreases swelling.
Icing Period
Do not ice for longer than 20 minutes, otherwise you might get frostbite. A red skin is a warning sign. But, ensure you ice for at least 10 minutes. Otherwise, there will not be much effect on muscle tissue. So, the ideal period is to ice for 15 to 20 minutes.
Be Regular with the Icing
Continue with your icing for as long as required. Do not stop after just one day. One should ideally ice the injury five times in a day, with a gap of 45 minutes between each application. This schedule can minimize inflammation by keeping tissue temperature low.
Use the following tools to ice your injury:
Frozen Peas Bag
This is a convenient and cheap tool. But, you need to affix the bag to your body, otherwise it might fall down.
Homemade Pack of Ice
You can make this cool tool by simply putting cold water and ice in a bag. As the ice turns into cold water, it can enhance effectiveness, as water conducts thermal energy better than ice. Water can also absorb heat from muscles, thereby cooling them down. On the negative side, you would need to remake the pack after each use.
