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Admin
Boca Juniors '91
Pete
Sacramento, California
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 Boca News: Proper Icing of Injuries |
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Sunday, July 10
Proper Icing of Injuries
Dear Players,
Since this is the time of year when we can pick up little injuries like ankle sprains etc... I thought it would be a good time to talk to you about how to proper ice an injury.
RICE is the think to remember once you have been injured. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.
When you ice an injury you should try and use crushed ice so it forms around your injury. Dont use big cubes. If all you have is cubes crush them up a little. The bags you put your vegetables in at the grocery store are best. Even better than Zip Lock bags because they are softer. Once you have the ice in the bag, suck all the air out of the back then secure the bag by twisting it so no air can get inside. Apply the ice to the swelling and/or injured area. Use an Ace bandage or Plastic Wrap to secure the bag tightly to the injury (Compression). The elevate the injured area above your heart. For example, if you injured your ankle you should lay on the couch with your foot up on a pillow or pillows so it is above your heart. Ice for 15 to 20 minutes. DONT ICE FOR MORE THAN 20 MINUTES AT A TIME. You can do this once an hour 3-5 times during a day.
BETTER WAY TO ICE....an even better way to ice is something called Ice Massage. Buy cheap Dixie Cups. Fill them with water and put them in the freezer. Once they are frozen take them out and peal away part of the cup so only the ice is exposed. Massage your injury with the cup. Keep pealing away the cup until it is all gone. Make sure you apply some pressure to the injury when you are massaging. That constitutes compression. This is an especially great way to massage if your injury persists for more than a day or two.
ICE BATH ... another good way to ice is to use an ice bath. This is especially good for ankle injuries. Fill a bucket 1/3 full with ice and the rest with water (normal temperature). Put the injured ankle in the bucket so it is completely covered with ice and water. Wear a sock, and have a plastic bag over the ankle. This should only be done for 10 minutes. This technique does not have the advantage of elevation.
HEAT...NEVER EVER USE HEAT until at least 3-5 days after the initial injury or until a doctor or physical therapist tells you to. That includes taking a hot bath. For example, it is common that when you pull your quad muscle or back muscles you may decide to take a hot bath. It initially makes you feel better but this is a very BAD idea. Ice is used to decrease blood flow and swelling in the injured area. Heat does the exact opposite. It increases blood flow.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks
Gabe
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