After an injury, many of us know that we should treat with the acronym, RICE—Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Many people would rather apply a hot pack than an ice pack to something that hurts. Ice often sounds quite unappealing, particularly in the middle of a Minnesota winter. In the case of chronic (long-term, not flared-up) injury, heat can be soothing, and helpful before stretching. As a rule however, heat can actually bring more inflammation to the area of injury, slowing healing. Ice is definitely preferred over heat, particularly with an acute (new) injury. This is because ice is truly miraculous in its inflammation-reducing properties.
When ice is applied to muscle tissue, initially the blood vessels constrict. Very quickly, though, a reaction called “reactive vasodilation” follows, in which the blood vessels actually dilate very wide, allowing for greatly increased blood flow through the tissue. This is very important in the case of an injury. The increased blood flow carries away the metabolic wastes and the byproducts of inflammation, and the new blood brings in oxygen and nutrients that allow the muscle tissue to heal more quickly.
To reduce inflammation, twenty minutes with an ice pack works very well, but five minutes of ice massage works even better. Sports Therapists often integrate ice massage into an injury treatment session in cases of severe inflammation. The therapist will literally apply pressure and massage strokes to the affected area with ice. The combination of tissue manipulation, pressure, flushing, and reactive vasodilation produces unparalleled inflammation reduction.
When seeking Therapeutic Massage for an injury, consider discussing the option of ice massage with your Therapist. Ice Massage is one of the most effective tools for combating inflammation in injured muscle tissue.
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