May/June 2020 - 25

Hot/Cold Therapy
HEAT VS. ICE: WHEN TO USE
WHICH METHOD
Arthritis
* Moist heat eases chronically stiff joints, relaxes
tight muscles
Headache
* Ice numbs throbbing head pain
* Moist heat relaxes painful neck spasm
Strains & Sprains
* Ice eases inflammation, numbs pain; good to use in
acute period
* Heat eases stiffness; better to use after acute injury
phase is over to decrease bleeding into the muscle
* Tendonitis (Acute Inflammation)
* Ice eases inflammate/numbs pain
* Tendonitis (Chronic Injury)
* Heat relieves stiffness after inflammation resolves
everyone is done icing. That takes time. [With Physicool]
no matter where a player is, they can put it on and walk
around and go about their lives. "
Once the injured area is wrapped with a Velcro strap
securely, athletes can leave the alcohol-soaked bandage
on for as long as desired, with recommendations of 30
minutes to two hours for the best results. Since Physicool
works by pulling heat away from the body - as opposed
to applying cold to the body - an athlete can leave it on
for longer periods of time, up to eight hours. And unlike ice,
Physicool offers 360 degrees of cooling.
From athletes with chronic pain to anyone who's looking
to recover post-surgery, Physicool can be utilized. It's
about efficiency. Does it make sense to have a heavy bag
of ice on an area that was just operated on?
" We use Physicool to reduce pain and swelling as part
of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program. The
cooling and compressive benefits of Physicool definitely
help reduce patient swelling and pain. We want to mobilize
patients faster and this aids in that, " Ruth Cameron,
surgical care practitioner of Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust,
said in a testimonial posted on Physicool's website.
Polar Products, an Ohio-based company that specializes
areas - is that an athlete can speed up recovery, relieve
pain and improve performance.
No matter which methodology an athlete or athletic
trainer uses, there are numerous forms of applications to
achieve the desired results.
EARLY APPLICATION
Ice packs and ice baths are perhaps the most traditional
form of cold therapy. A quick Google image search can
yield thousands of results showing professional athletes
icing down their joints or dipping their battered bodies
slowly into frigid ice baths. As previously mentioned, cold
therapy reduces inflammation and is best used in the
immediate treatment of acute, injury-provoked pain.
When the body is reacting to an inflammatory response,
chemicals are secreted and directed to the injured area
to help stimulate the healing process. While the body is
repairing itself, inflammatory responses can range from
redness, swelling and sometimes pain. Additionally cold
can mask or override the sensation of pain and restrict
blood flow and fluid buildup to the injured area.
While ice baths and ice bags taped to the injured
area can be useful in the early stages of recovery or
rehabilitation, they can be time-consuming and restrictive.
That's where Physicool comes in. Operating under
the slogan of " better than ice - and clinically proven " ,
Physicool offers the benefits of ice without the added bulk
of bags or the time consumption.
" That's where we separate ourselves from ice, " Ryan
Hadley, Lyn Pharma's business development manager,
said. " Getting access to ice on the road can be tough even
at the higher collegiate levels. Players can't leave until
in hot and cold therapy and body cooling systems, has an
Active Ice universal cold therapy system that is a cheap
and effective alternative to treating specific body parts
with relief. By simply adding ice and water, athletes can
body part-specific cooling to treat acute injuries and in
combination with heat for chronic pain. Its nine-quart
reservoir allows for athletes to ice for 30 minutes and does
so for the costly price of $250 - nearly a tenth of the
price of its competitors.
" Some of the bigger universities may go another route,
but at the local high school level this is approachable
and very effective with its mechanical compression, " Bill
Graessle, owner of Polar Products said.
" I think that the knowledge of coldy therapy has grown
a great deal in all fields. [When I was younger] we used to
use a bag of peas or an ice pack, " he added.
BLENDING TREATMENTS
When deciding between hot and compression therapy,
there is no wrong answer - just a matter of personal
preference.
Unlike coldy therapy, both heat and compression
stimulate blood flow and circulation. As opposed to treating
acute injuries, heat and compression can be used to aid
in chronic, overuse-type injuries. Pain from a sore or tight
muscle is often linked with a buildup of lactic acid. Applying
heat or compression to these areas can help stimulate the
flow of oxygen-rich blood, which can decrease the amount
of lactic acid in muscles. The result is decreasing pain and
improving range of motion. Heat and compression also can
lead to muscle relaxation, allowing collagen tissues to relax
and elongate, easing tension built up in muscles.
training-conditioning.com | 25
http://www.training-conditioning.com
May/June 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May/June 2020
