Should you ICE your injuries?

Ice has long been used by dancers and athletes to recover after any performance related pain. However, ice research hit a new climax in 2014 putting the traditional RICE protocol on trial. It was found that traditional icing is in fact harming rather than helping our healing. Here are some facts about ice that might be surprising.

HEALING 101

To understand why the advice about ice has drastically changed, we need to first help you understand the healing process. When you get injured, or strain yourself during a heavy workout, your body immediately activates the first stage of healing. This is called inflammation. The job of inflammation is to mobilize and transport the clean-up crew that will clear away the damaged tissue. So, inflammation is not the enemy. It is how we heal.

Inflammation only becomes a problem when it goes on too long or is too intense. This gets in the way of the tissue rebuilding process. When our level of inflammation matches the degree of the damage, we get optimal healing.

During inflammation, the body increases circulation to the injured area, which is why we also see swelling with injury. Unfortunately, ice constricts the blood vessels, resulting indistinctly fewer members of the clean-up crew getting to the site of injury. To make matters worse, ice can restrict blood flow for hours after it has been removed. In the worst cases this can lead to cellular damage, nerve damage and even tissue death.

The Good News: There are safe and effective ways to control the total volume of swelling without disrupting this important healing chemistry.

What to do instead of ICE?

I am always thinking about the safest and fastest ways to get dancers back to their activities. I usually recommend the PEACE and LOVE protocol or contrast bathing to maximize healing potential

P.E.A.C.E. & L.O.V.E

P. PROTECTION

Avoid activities and movements that increase pain during the first few days after an injury.

E. ELEVATION

Elevate the injured limb higher than the heart as often as possible.

A. AVOID

Avoid taking any anti-inflammatory medications (unless prescribed by a doctor) and icing as they reduce tissue healing.

E. EDUCATION

Work with a rehab professional to understand your injury and create a plan to heal your best.

L. LOAD

Gradually return to normal activities using a progressive rehab program. Slowly loading tissues.

O. OPTIMISM

Condition your brain for optimal recovery by being confident and positive.

V. VASCULARISATION

Chose pain-free cardiovascular activities to increase blood flow to repairing tissues.

E. EXERCISE

Restore mobility, strength, and proprioception by adopting an active approach to recovery.

ONE LAST NOTE

One thing we know is that people who are calm recover more quickly than those who are anxious. Numerous studies show the effects of stress, fear, and anxiety on our physiology and biochemistry. We increase the inflammatory process beyond the helpful healing range when we feel stressed. If you are injured take a deep breath, call your favorite rehab professional, and create a plan to put you at ease.