RULES FOR ICING

. Use as cold an ice pack as you can tolerate.

2. Have at least 2 ice packs ready at all time. One large pack for larger areas and a small one for smaller areas.

3. Always place something between you and the ice pack. You can burn your skin with it directly against your body. A towel works great.

4. Icing causes several stages to occur:
a. Cold
b. Pain or aching
c. Numbness

5. Always ice for at least 10 minutes, 20 minutes is optimal for icing sore areas.

6. For more severe or acute pain and spasm, ice on the hour, every hour for 20 minutes.

7. There is no therapeutic benefit to icing more than 20 minute. The body will adjust to the cold and start re-supplying blood to the area. This circumvent any value icing may have.

8. If icing causes pain, then stop immediately and call your treating physician.

9. Injuries should be iced for the first 36-72 hours, depending on the severity of the injury. This has to happen before you make the switch to alternating to moist heat and ice together. Then the final stage will be just moist heat.