Should you be icing your injury? And for how long? There is so much confusion surrounding the topic, the truth is, much more study is needed before a definitive answer can be given1. Until that time, here is a basic guide on whether you should be icing an injury.
What is RICE?
RICE – Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation has been the standard, since it was created by Dr Gabe Mirkin in 1978, for treating soft-tissue injuries like bruises, ankle sprains and pulled hamstrings. At the time, this idea was based on cutting the inflammation around the joint with ice and compression, as inflammation was seen as the enemy of recovery. Since then, Dr Gabe Mirkin has changed his view on RICE as there is almost no evidence that shows ice helping to aid a faster recovery.
How does inflammation help an injury?
When a new injury occurs in the body, inflammatory cells produce inflammation around the injured area to protect itself from further injury. It also does this to signal to the body that something is wrong. Inflammation is not always a bad thing, it is a natural and effective response to injury that delivers cells release healing hormones. It is now suspected that icing your injury may actually slow down the body’s own natural healing mechanisms and delay recovery.
So is Ice effective on an injury?
There is limited evidence to support whether cold therapy following an acute musculoskeletal injury is effective. Ice can help to decrease swelling, bleeding and can help aid in relieving the pain. This may in turn help to get you moving a bit easier, and therefore may provide you with some relief. In the end ice may not help the healing process long term as it may delay functional progression.
So if RICE is not backed by evidence, what can you do when you have an injury?
Some experts say that you should still be icing your musculoskeletal injuries if there a lot of pain and it’s swollen. Other’s say you should be moving as soon as you can. If you have injured yourself, it is usually best to seek advice from your health practitioner, such as a sports injury osteopath.
***
You can find out more about our team of amazing Osteopath’s here or book an appointment online here.
Alternatively, you can call us at the clinic on 03 9908 2844.
