Tag: ice

Icing a sprain may actually interfere with healing. Check out what science is telling us now.

Icing a sprain may actually interfere with healing. Check out what science is telling us now. A while ago, I began offering patients a new brochure called RICE no more on what to do instead of icing everything swollen and painful.  It was based on the current science. Apparently, the public and health professionals are just starting to embrace these new ideas. The evidence is growing that icing as we used to do it based on dogma from the 1970s does not stand up to scientific scrutiny according to a recent Washington Post article. A recent blog post takes this Read More »

Icing sore muscles is no longer a good idea; here’s why according to the NY Times.

Icing sore muscles is no longer a good idea; here’s why according to the NY Times. Sore muscles after working out; the recommendation was to ice it for relief and to reduce inflammation.   It turns out that this universal idea was universally recommmended as a way to recover from a workout. Two weeks ago an older patient who is a tennis player was doing just that to her feet, shoulder, and ankles after playing to reduce the soreness, yet, her body continued to hurt more over time. Science is catching up to the practice and the icing actually can cause Read More »

Does icing a sprain adversely affect healing? Check out this article in the Washington Post.

Does icing a sprain adversely affect healing? Check out this article in the Washington Post. If you have ever been involved in sports, you may have heard the term RICE which stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation.   The idea of icing a sprain has for years been the gospel of athletic trainers, coaches and even doctors. RICE no more. Science is catching up to this common practice and apparently, icing for long periods of time adversely affects healing.  This is why a couple of years ago we developed a new brochure for both of our offices called RICE Read More »

Ice no more says the newest research about how to recover from most sprains and strains faster.

Ice no more says the newest research about how to recover from most sprains and strains faster. Sprain an ankle, apply the RICE formula with ice, rest, elevation and compression.   That has been the rule until now. One of our oldest educational brochures recommends that you use ice for pain and swelling and heat for minor aches and stiffness.  Surprising new information says ice is more harmful than helpful, and may actually delay or injure an area. An article in the Journal Sports Medicine from 1986  adapted from Gabe Mikin MD had suggested that the actual effect ice has on injured tissues is to Read More »