It’s time to rethink icing sore and injured muscles

entire process is slowed down by suppressing the initial stage.

Even while you may believe that you are promoting your own healing, you are actually hindering it.

You probably pull an ice pack out of the freezer to relieve pain when your knees hurt after a day of intense squats, your elbow hurts after a weekend tennis match, or your daughter knocks her head against the banister. First of all, you do this because you’ve always done it; it was probably something your parents did for you. e second reason is that you believe icing lowers in ammation and speeds up healing. You might be surprised to learn that ice has never been conclusively demonstrated to be useful to the healing process in any published, peer-reviewed research. e reverse is actually supported by science. Ice can impede healing, promote swelling, and further harm good tissue, which is a cold, hard fact (sorry about the pun!).

Research Conclusions

In ammation, repair, and remodelling are the three phases of healing for both soft tissue injuries and bone injuries. e

An in ammatory response is triggered by the immune system when tissue is damaged, and a 2010 study found that this reaction is essential for healing damaged tissue and repairing muscle. White blood cells called macrophages, which engulf and breakdown cell waste, are the body’s repair and cleanup team. ey generate insulinlike growth factor 1, a protein needed for muscle regeneration and repair. e same study demonstrated that inhibiting in ammation slows recovery by halting IGF-1 release. So basically, ice can slow down the natural healing properties of the body.

Ice restricts blood arteries, which reduces the amount of healing uid that can reach the damaged location, according to a 2013 research. Additionally, this study shown that topical cooling hinders the healing of muscles damaged by eccentric exercise, whereas a 2015 study demonstrated that coldinduced vasoconstriction can cause the death of apparently healthy tissue. Researchers discovered in 1986 that continuous ice application made lymphatic arteries more permeable, which led to a back ow of uid into the interstitial space. is means that applying ice to an injured location will not cause local swelling to reduce.

It is also crucial to realize that a torn muscle and extremely sore muscles following a strenuous workout are not wholly dissimilar. Milder soft tissue trauma is what causes soreness. e healing of those little tears by the body is what leads to adaptation. By sti ing the cell activity necessary for developing stronger muscles, you signi cantly reduce the gains in muscle growth and strength that you work so hard for during your training sessions when you take the ever-popular ice bath to relieve discomfort. After a strenuous workout, instead of preparing yourself for tomorrow by hopping in the cold tub, you’re actually postponing recuperation.

In ammation vs Swelling

According to Gary Reinl, author of Iced!, “ e terms “in ammation” and “swelling” are sometimes used interchangeably, although they are di er- ent, and only the latter is problematic. According to Reinl, swelling is the buildup of uid, blood, and damaged cells after the in ammatory reaction has subsided. We expect in ammation for the rst 4 days. If there is swelling after this then we need to remove it.

So if ice is not the answer what is?

Allowing the body to get the good stu in and the bad stu out is important, even with an acute injury. According to physical therapist and mobility expert Kelly Starrett, muscle contraction is the best way to relieve congestion and swelling in humans. e best technique to minimize swelling and get athletes back to their readystate levels is through movement.

Stretching and range-of-motion exercises using your body weight, light weights, or Mobility classes with the BackAware e “RICE protocol” for treating injuries was developed by Harvard physician Dr. Gabe Mirkin in 1978. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation are represented by the acronym, however Mirkin now admits he was mistaken about rest and ice. He continues to write and talk extensively on the subject at the age of 87. According to recent study, Mirkin claims that rest and ice actually slow down healing and recovery. Now that we understand how the immune system uses in ammation to supply the chemicals your body needs to recover, we can say that icing will suppress the immunological response and slow healing. Since ice momentarily dulls pain, you may believe that you are recovering more quickly than you actually are, according to study. e simplest and most apparent response is that they always have. Athletes behave similarly; If they used ice as children, they frequently do so as adults.

Belt are e ective ways to move sore muscles. Of course, acute injuries are more complicated. No one advises lifting weights or jogging on an ACL injury, but if your physical therapist gives you the all-clear to stand on your sprained ankle after treatment, go ahead and do it.

Starrett advises using one of the many neuromuscular electrical stimulation, or e-stim, devices available on the market if an injury is too painful or the area is too fragile for any type of voluntary movement. ese devices produce nonfatiguing muscle contractions that activate the lymphatic system to pump out waste and congestion. Compression and non-steroidal anti-in ammatory drugs (such as sh oil and turmeric) are other remedies he suggests. For delayedonset muscular soreness and post-surgical pain, turmeric has been demonstrated to be as helpful as ibuprofen, while sh oil supplements can ease arthritis pain.

Why did we Ice in the rst place?

If there is not much evidence why do doctors, therapists and athletes continue to ice?

On television, famous basketball, baseball, and football players are frequently shown sitting chest-deep in tubs of ice or with ice packs strapped to their knees and shoulders.

Ice also has one great bene t.

It is a pain-killer. It can numb an area that is sore. So in that sense it is absolutely ok to use ice. It is far better than painkillers but you could use heat either whatever you like better. Use ice to numb the pain but try gently get the area moving after a few days to help swelling a lot more.

BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITORKILKENNYOBSERVER.IE

Very Camogie League Division 1A Parnell Park, Dublin Dublin 0-11 Kilkenny 0-17

At the third time of asking, our senior camogs got their rst victory of this season’s Very Camogie League Division 1A campaign with a deserved 6-point win over Dublin in Parnell Park last Saturday. It was a much needed 3-points for Brian Dowling’s panel following the defeats to Clare and Galway on previous weekends, but with some six minutes remaining, there was only one score between the sides, but the Stripey Women dug –in and registered the nal three scores of the game to claim a vital away win. It was three of the ‘old brigade’ that ensured Gerry McQuaid’s home side didn’t take any points from the encounter. Densie Gaule, Katie Power and the returning Kellyann Doyle struck over the scores to ensure maximum points returned to Noreside.

e home side struck the rst score of the game, thanks to a nice point from play in the opening minute from Aisling Maher. Indeed, Maher would go to strike all four scores for the Capital side in the opening half and the St Vincents club woman was in great form throughout the contest.

Kilkenny responded with two scores in quick succession from Windgap’s Denise Gaule, both from the placed ball. Aisling Maher and Gaule exchanged frees before a new name got in on the day’s scoring act, and that would be O’Loughlin Gaels Laura Murphy from her mid eld berth.

Brian Dowling’s side then took control of proceedings at Parnell Park and began to stretch the lead on their hosts. e third score on the bounce for the visitors came from Piltown’s Katie Power in the 13th minute.

ree minutes later, the ever-reliable Gaule red over another nice e ort from the placed ball, before Laura Murphy added her second point of the day a minute later to leave Brian Dowling’s side 7-3 ahead and dictating the contest in most areas of the pitch.

Every Dublin indiscretion was duly punished by Densie Gaule, and the talented multiple All-Star added to her tally shortly after, popping over another free. Aisling Maher pulled one back for the home side, but the mightily impressive