If you’ve ever sprained your ankle or injured your elbow, you probably know that it’s been standard practice for decades to apply ice after injury to decrease swelling and pain. Dr. Gabe Mirkin coined the acronym “R.I.C.E.” in 1978 (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), and this concept became the standard in treatment of acute injuries and post-surgical patients.
While there has been some debate about whether cold therapy should be used for all musculoskeletal injuries, most healthcare practitioners would agree that proper use of ice or cold therapy can reduce swelling and pain. Here are a few reminders about using cold therapy:
- Apply ice for no longer than 20 minutes at a time.
- Allow your skin to return to room temperature before applying ice again.
- Place a thin towel between the ice pack and your skin to prevent irritation and even frostbite.
- And never ice prior to activity — doing so may cause further injury.
Another option is combining cold therapy and compression. Studies have shown that people who use cold therapy and compression therapy together, as opposed to just one of those therapies alone, recover from their injuries significantly faster. Compression, particularly intermittent compression, works to push swelling out of the injured site. This can limit tissue damage and aid in the removal of cellular debris and waste in the body. Active compression therapy mimics the body’s natural muscle contractions, pumping swelling out of the injured area. This increases blood flow and delivery of oxygen to the site, stimulating tissue healing and optimizing lymphatic drainage.
It has become almost routine for patients undergoing some types of surgeries (such as ACL repairs or joint replacement) to receive cold compression therapy post-operatively in the hospital or surgi-center through mechanical devices designed for this purpose. Some patients also receive treatment from these machines at home or in skilled nursing facilities in the weeks immediately following surgery, as ordered by their physician. In recent years, these devices have become available for people who wish to use this therapy at home for injuries, such as sprains, fractures and tears, for chronic pain and swelling, or to help reduce muscle soreness and fatigue.
For minor aches and pains, icing afterwards may be enough to keep your body healthy and to avoid serious injury. However, keep an eye out for the following red flags:
- Pain that gets worse instead of better
- Pain after resting for a few days, or when you wake up
- Chronic swelling in your joints, or bruises that don’t heal
- Knees or elbows (or other joints) that lock or are unstable
Any of these problems is a sign that you need to consult with a doctor or physical therapist about your pain or swelling. Trying to treat such issues at home with ice, compression and anti-inflammatories could end up making your problem worse instead of better.
We’ve all heard of “tennis elbow,” but do you know what causes it and how physical therapy can help?
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is inflammation of the forearm tendons on the outside of the elbow. They usually become damaged from overuse when performing repetitive activities involving gripping, and not just when playing tennis. The damage can also be caused from excessive turning of the wrist when using tools or typing on a computer keyboard and clicking a mouse. This leads to microtears of the lateral elbow tendons, creating pain, tenderness and inflammation at the outside of the elbow.
The symptoms of tennis elbow feel mild at first and progress gradually over weeks to months. There is usually no trauma or specific cause associated with it, but these symptoms can persist and become chronic in nature if not properly treated. Common symptoms include:
- Pain and tenderness at the outside of the elbow
- Burning into the forearm musculature
- Pain with gripping or carrying items
- Decreased grip strength
- Pain with rotation of the elbow or wrist
|
 |
These symptoms usually worsen with forceful gripping or repetitive activities. Because this condition can become debilitating, people should seek immediate medical care if experiencing any of the above symptoms for longer than two weeks, to alleviate the condition and prevent further damage. Approximately 80 – 90% of tennis elbow cases are resolved using non-surgical procedures, such as physical therapy, rest, and medication. Read More
Tags: Elbow, Elbow Pain, Tennis Elbow
Many people think of physical therapy clinics as a place to recover from injury, or a place to do rehabilitation after an operation. But many physical therapy clinics are now offering a broader range of services, shifting their attention to both prevention of and recovery from injury and illness.
Clinton Physical Therapy Center, a Physiquality member in Clinton, Tennessee, launched their wellness program, now known as the Take Charge Fitness Program, 20 years ago in 1995. It was originally intended as a bridge program for clients who had reached the end of physical therapy, but weren’t quite ready to exercise on their own. “Many of the people who come here need supervision that they can’t get at a health club,” says co-owner Joyce Klee. “We can cater their exercise programs to specific health issues, whether they are orthopedic or neurological problems, or other issues, like obesity.”
Now they often have clients who have never been through physical therapy, which is why anyone who joins the Take Charge Fitness Program gets a thorough evaluation. “During this screening,” explains Anna Dark, the Fitness Director at TCFP, “we look for any potential musculoskeletal dysfunctions or imbalances that can lead to injury if not addressed.” The staff at TCFP then incorporates specific exercises to improve and correct such problems, as a part of the member’s exercise regimen. Read more
There is and has been a long-term debate about the merits of using heat or ice as a treatment after injury. Despite years of research, education, and even anecdotal evidence from healthcare professionals and trainers, much confusion has surrounded the issue.
To this day, the conventional thinking has been that ice should be used in the first 24-48 hours after injury to decrease inflammation (swelling) and pain. In 1978, Dr. Gabe Mirkin coined the term “R.I.C.E.” (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), and this concept became the standard in treatment of acute injuries and post-surgical patients.
Recently, however, many studies have been performed to investigate what exactly the role of ice is in decreasing inflammation and pain, and whether or not it does in fact aid in recovery of tissues. Like so many other previously held beliefs, very good contemporary research over the last decade has been progressively disproving this conventional wisdom. Unfortunately, new information is slow to spread, and it is always challenging to change long-held paradigms and to shift to the more current thinking. Read More
