Fire or ice: hwo to know when to apply hear or ice to a sporting injury

rating: **** never sure whether to apply heat or ice to an injury? what does each healing method do? this article explains what to use and why, in a case like your own! First, you must decide whether your injury is acute, or chronic. Acute being, a swift, sudden, sharp stinging pain. While chronic, is a long lasting, and slow developing. Chronic pain is often healed with heat. It increases blood flow, and mobility of the muscle, helping the injury. Acute pain, especially prior to the injury, is better healed with ice. It will reduce swelling, and pain. As a rule, never apply heat to an already swollen injury, this will increase the pain and swelling, making it worse. Be sure to always put a towel, or protective layer for the skin. Injuries where ice and heat are often brought to other pain such a burns, or freezing of the skin, from long durations of treatment. This article will help me as an athlete in any case of injury. I am now aware of the procedure of treating, and the steps to help it heal. Also, I will be able to help friends and family when they have injuries, with my knowledge taken from this article. Ottawa outdoors p.21, www.ottawaoutdoors.ca