Sports injuries: Should you use ice or heat?

Find out whether ice or heat will have the greatest benefit for a sports injury such as a muscle pull or strain

A sports injury such as a sprain, strain, muscle pull or muscle tear needs immediate treatment, and a good acronym to remember is RICE: Rest the injured body part, and Ice and Compress it in 20-minute intervals as you Elevate it. (Some health professionals recommend using a bag of frozen peas because you can mould it around the injured area, distributing the cold evenly.)

But at other times, such as when warming muscles up before exercise or to soothe repetitive tendon strain, heat is the way to go.

We asked Agnes Makowski, physiotherapist and spokesperson for Sport Physiotherapy Canada and the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, to explain so you know when it’s best to use heat or ice.

Use ice for

• a sprain
• a strain
• swelling
• inflammation
• overexerted muscles from exercise
• bruising
• acute joint pain

Use heat for

• overuse pain
• repetitive tendon pain, before physical activity
• tight or injured muscles before exercise
• repetitive strains
• muscle spasms
• muscle pain
• chronic joint pain

Use ice and heat for

• sore muscles a day or two after exercise

Try: TheraPearl hot/cold compress
This sports pack pulls double duty by providing both ice and heat relief. For heat therapy for tight muscles (or to relax them before exercise), microwave the pack for 30 seconds. For cold therapy for swollen, bruised or sprained muscles, freeze it for at least two hours and apply for 20 minutes. (TheraPearl Sports Pack, $10, therapearl.com)

This article was originally titled "To ice, or not to ice?" in the Summer 2012 issue of Best Health. Subscribe today to get the full Best Health experience–and never miss an issue!

Best Health Magazine, Summer 2012