Is the ice pack really "a cure for all diseases"?

Once muscle damage occurs during exercise such as strains, sores, external injuries, and sprained joints, the first reaction is ice and rest. This comes from the RICE principle - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Rest, apply ice, oppress, raise the limb.

The RICE principle was used by the world in 1987 as an emergency measure to treat sports injuries.

Among them Ice - ice, is an anti-inflammatory idea. Delays and stops the inflammation from occurring, which in turn reduces the body's pain in the affected area. For example, spraining an ankle with a basketball can quickly bloated the ankle. The on-site doctor will immediately take the ice to slow down the inflammation and prevent the ankle area from swelling.

However, this method is, in principle, to prevent inflammation and delay the recovery process. During the ice pack, blood flow dropped drastically on the inflamed tissue, which did not help the recovery of the wound. Just as there was a traffic accident on the highway, the police did not take measures to ease the vehicles but stopped all vehicles. It is indeed the disruption of more serious traffic jams, but the scene of the accident is still a mess.

but...

Is inflammation really bad? In fact, this is the inevitable process of injury recovery. When our body tissue is injured, it will increase the surrounding blood flow, expedite waste discharge and repair resources, and carry out self-repair process.

There is a rich supply of blood inside and outside the muscles or ligaments to cope with the development of sports injuries. Muscle recovery is much faster than ligaments. Because the blood in the ligament tissue is like the water in the desert, it is unusually scarce. The supply of nutrients depends on the delivery of blood to various tissues. Muscles, like rain forests, have plenty of resources. This is why if the ligament is injured, torn, or broken, self-repair is extremely lengthy.

For muscle and ligament injuries, ice is not a “border cure,” and different recovery procedures can be tailored to different impairments.

However, remember that in the process of recovery can not cause secondary damage to muscles, ligaments - HARM!

H-Heat

In the acute period, heat can not be used, as well as fever, irritating ointment and so on. It will cause more inflammation and edema, which is not conducive to healing.

A-Ahcohol

Can not drink alcohol during acute injury, alcohol will stimulate swelling, not easy to subside. Alcohol can also affect blood supply to the blood vessels and is not conducive to further repair.

R-Run or training

Before the recovery of pain, control the amount of running or training, do not participate in heavy load training or high-intensity aerobic exercise.

M-Massage

Early injury must not be local massage. When the cause of the injury cannot be diagnosed, external force stimulation such as massage may induce local re-bleeding and aggravate the symptoms of pain. However, after the acute period has passed, you can use correct, gentle techniques to massage and help restore.

Ice is not a panacea, but it may be the easiest way to deal with the pain, but if you want to completely recover the damaged parts, it is not an expedient measure to keep the ice.