During our group run yesterday I realized that, while icing injuries is common knowledge to those of us who have been running for a number of years, it might not be so intuitive to people new to the sport. So here’s a quick post on some of the basics.
Swelling is the body’s way of sending your brain an important message. When a joint, tendon or muscle is injured there may be internal bleeding, and extra fluid is produced limiting the motion of the affected area, and causing pain when it is moved. This forces you to rest the area while healing takes place. Unfortunately this swelling can also cause additional damage to the surrounding tissue and can prevent expedient healing by preventing proper blood flow to the area. Icing helps to reduce this swelling and speed up the natural healing process.
Fundamentals of Icing
o Icing should be done shortly after injury or exercise. The effectiveness of icing reduces greatly after about 48 hours.
o Ice should not be applied directly to the skin. Use a damp cloth between the ice and the skin. This will help prevent burning the skin, and will more effectively cool the injured area. Another option is to freeze ice in paper cups and use the ice to massage the area in circular motions, this also prevents the ice from remaining on the skin long enough to burn it and is even more effective at deep cold penetration.
o Icing should take place for about 15-20 min at a time. Icing longer can cause tissue damage (frostbite).
o The area should be allowed to warm up before ice is reapplied (about 45 min).
o Ice early, Ice often. Icing can’t hurt, and it can also help keep small issues from becoming larger ones. It also helps to speed up the normal healing process. If you have tight or sore muscles after a run, ICE! It doesn’t cost you anything…
Remember RICE. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Rest is important for the healing process while the other 3 components help to reduce swelling.
http://www.exrx.net/ExInfo/FirstAid.html
My thoughts on IBprofin and other anti inflammatories: Anti inflammatories are useful but need to be used carefully. They should not be used before runs. Pain is your body’s way of saying something’s wrong. When you block this message there’s a good chance you can be causing even more damage without even realizing it.
Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are also a factor that can lead to Renal Failure (kidney shut down) in distance runners. While this condition is extremely rare and relies on a number of other factors, it’s best just to avoid NSAIDs altogether if possible.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17465608
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional. Any information in this post or blog is for informational purposes only and should not be treated as medical advice. Verify any information with a medical professional before basing a rehab program on any thing you read on the internet.
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