Engaging in any physical activity presents an automatic risk of unexpected injury. When this happens, many doubts arise about how to deal with them. and if well application of cold and heat for sports injuries is highly recommendedthere are some conceptual gaps that need to be filled.
When is cold or hot indicated? How are they applied? What are its advantages? What contact time is recommended? Any of these questions will be dispelled if you continue reading. Find out how to effectively treat your wounds!
Cold for sports injuries
Cold is meant to treat musculoskeletal conditions. In a narrower sense, local cryotherapy is used to counteract inflammationinjuries caused by trauma and muscle tears. To broaden the range of options where using ice is appropriate, consider the following physical challenges.
- Distortion.
- Bursitis.
- Muscle tear.
- Inflammation.
The way cold works is through vasoconstriction, i.e. the narrowing of blood vessels. This way, blood flow to the affected area tends to decrease, which helps reduce inflammation in a short time.
Benefits
THE cold benefits for injuries they are in relieving trauma pain, reducing swelling and minimizing muscle spasm.
How does it apply?
The application of cold with a gel pack or a piece of ice wrapped in a cloth that avoids direct contact with the skin is recommended. The time of use varies between 10 and 30 minutes. Likewise, the process is required to be discontinuous and to be repeated in 2-hour cycles.
The cold instead as a therapeutic treatment is contraindicated in the following cases:
- Open wounds.
- People suffering from sympathetic dysfunction.
- individuals with the Raynaud’s syndrome.
- Neoplasms.
heat for sports injuries
The first step in ending heat and cold questions for sports injuries has been completed. So, when is it convenient to raise the temperature of the treatment?
In essence, the use of heat is especially focused muscle injuries (contractures) and joint pain. Furthermore, its implementation in treatment becomes essential when the athlete experiences chronic pain.
The influence of thermotherapy is in the dilation of blood vessels. This condition results in increased flow of blood, nutrients and oxygen to the affected area. Furthermore, the metabolic activity is catalysed. Of course it also increases inflammation.
Benefits
THE thermal advantages Conscientiously applied to deal with the above-mentioned ailments are expressed below:
- Muscle relaxation.
- Reduction of muscle and joint pain.
- Increased soft tissue performance.
- Decreased blood pressure.
- Increased mobility in the area of ​​injury, product of an improvement in the elasticity of tendons, muscles and joints.
How does it apply?
Hot packs, hot tubs, hot cloths, heat lamps, and ultrasound are the most commonly used items to transfer heat to the injury site.
So, time to start He recovery process with thermotherapy it is established between 48 and 72 hours from the onset of the physical problem.
After the initial phase, the selected material is placed in contact with the skin (discontinuously), for a time ranging from 10 to 30 minutes.
Just like in the cold there are scenarios where it is convenient to avoid any hot agent. Among the circumstances in which it is not advisable to opt for this treatment are the following:
- Inflammation.
- Very hot area.
- Malignant tumor.
- Recent hits.
- Sensitivity variations.
- Infection.
- Hemorrhage.
Cold and heat for lesions (contrast baths)
At this point, there’s already a much broader spectrum and solid foundation around heat and cold for injuries. However, heDifferentially exposed treatments are not always incompatible. Hence the so-called “contrast baths”.
This therapy is based on the alternation of cold and heat to heal some wounds and traumas. Consequently, vasodilation and vasoconstriction are promoted to improve local circulation, especially in the extremities.
You need to pay attention to both cold and warm water temperature before diving, because the effectiveness of the process will depend on it. Therefore, hot water should be between 38 and 44℃. Meanwhile, cold water should be kept at 10-20℃. It is used to a greater extent for tendinopathies and sprains.
Final thoughts on cold and heat for injuries
It should always be borne in mind that cold and heat to treat injuries are a complement to other methods that speed up recovery. Along with this, the exercises recommended by the physiotherapist and the massages are what will end up marking a total rehabilitation.
Finally, it is inexorable that the choice of cryotherapy, thermotherapy or contrast method is left to the specialistin order to avoid an initial harmful action that jeopardizes the forfeiture of adequacy.
The post Cold and heat, indispensable for sports injuries, appeared for the first time in research-school.