One of the first things you should do when you get a muscle or joint injury is to apply cold therapy. Most experts say that cold therapy should be applied as soon as possible following a soft tissue injury and repeated at regular intervals for 48-72 hours.
Cooling the injured area after an injury relieves pain and reduces bleeding, swelling and muscle spasms. The cooling causes blood vessels in the area to constrict which means less flow of blood and other fluids that cause swelling. Applying the appropriate cold therapy soon after a muscle sprain or strain also improves the recovery time.
There are many ways that cold therapy can be applied. The best method may vary depending on the location and type of injury.
Coldone Therapy Wraps:
Coldone cold therapy wraps are a neoprene wrap on the outside with small pockets of freezable gel on the inner side. The Coldone wrap is stored in the freezer until needed so it's ready to be wrapped and fastened around the injured area. The best feature about Coldone wraps is they also provide compression to keep the cold in and the swelling down. The inner lining of the wrap is linen which prevents cold shock and skin burn. This type of wrap can be purchased for specific body parts or in a universal configuration. The only downside is that it needs to be frozen before you can use it.
Re-usable Cold Packs:
Re-usable cold packs are simple plastic pouches filled with a gel that can be refrozen. Needless to say the pouch must be frozen before it can be used. You can't apply the frozen pouch directly to the skin because it will cause ice burns. The pouch must be used in a special wrap or over a cloth material before being applied. To apply compression you need to use a quality wrap like the Fabrifoam nustim wrap.
Instant Cold Packs:
Instant Cold Packs contain a liquid and another inner pouch with chemicals. When you squeeze the pack and burst the inner pouch the chemical reaction creates a cooling effect. The clear advantage of these packs is that they don't have to be frozen ahead of time. The disadvantage is that they can only be used once and the cold effect may not last as long as an ice bag. They are a must for any athletic bag.
Ice Bags:
Ice bags are very simple and yet very effective. They are a material pouch with a water proof lining. Ice cubes or crushed ice are then placed in the bag which can then be placed directly on the skin. These bags work well because they easily mold to the shape of the joint. Some of these bags come with a compression wrap. I keep one of these bags in my athletic bag all the time because most athletic facilities have ice available.
Cooling Gels and Sprays:
Gels such as Biofreeze or Cryoderm are applied directly to your skin to provide a cooling effect. These products also contain an analgesic to provide some pain relief. They come in gels, roll-ons or sprays. The products do work, but the cooling effect is minimal compared to ice packs and only the superficial tissues are cooled. I primarily use them when I want to continue playing after the injury or for use on an existing injury just before I participate in a sport.
Continuous Cooling Systems:
If you have had rotator cuff surgery or other joint surgery, chances are you have used a continuous cooling device. They are simple in design but very effective since the cooling remains constant. Ice water is continuously pumped from an ice and water cooler into a compression wrap placed around the injured joint. They normal are used for recovery after surgery but can also be very effective for deep muscle sprains.
