By Mark DiSalvo, MPT, OCS, MTC, CG
One of the questions that I hear a lot in therapy is... "What's better to use, heat or ice?". If you have a recent injury (less than 3 weeks old) and there is any amount of swelling, the answer is ice. Place an ice pack in a pillow case or some other thin barrier and surround the entire area for 15-20 minutes each hour. The more often you ice the better. Heat really should be used only in chronic conditions or if there is a need for increased blood flow (arthritis, chronic back pain).
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