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Why You Should Not Use Cold Therapy for Acute Injuries
Should you use ice for injuries?
We’ve been told that using ice for acute injuries is okay because there’s swelling and blood flow, and you want to reduce inflammation. Of course, this is logical. Everyone knows it is true that one should follow the rice RICE protocol when you have an injury. The RICE protocol is:
· Rest
· Ice
· Compression
· Elevation
But, having been a healthcare professional for years, I can tell you that there were a lot of supposedly true things, and everyone knows that they are accurate and end up being false.
For example, I couldn’t find evidence that using ice for acute injuries improves your recovery or returns you to your normal state.
Of course, ice does indeed help decrease pain. However, it also has anti-inflammatory effects because it creates a vasoconstriction effect. This means that it pushes blood out of an inflamed area.
But, there is a question. Is it necessary to reduce inflammation? Is the inflammation in acute injuries pathological? Does it have a negative impact on the body? Something that should be gotten rid of? It may be in a chronic state but not in an acute form.
