Ice Therapy Advice

Cork Emergency Departments

Use one of the following treatments as advised by your Doctor or Physiotherapist.

• Apply for 10-20 minutes, 4 times a day. Do not exceed.
• Ice can BURN your skin. Therefore lift the ice or remove your hand or foot regularly during treatment to check your skin.
• Stop the treatment if your experience an uncomfortable burning sensation during cold application.
• Redness (Erythema) of the skin for approximately ½ hour is usual after treatment. If this persists, seek medical advice.
• If you have Raynaud’s Disease (i.e. your hands change colour from white to blue to red) do not use the following treatments. Consult your Doctor or Physiotherapist.
  • Ice packs or frozen peas – wrap in a moist towel and apply to the area to be treated.
  • Keep in freezer between treatments. Do not consume peas used for treatment.
  • Refrigerated wet towels.
  • Crushed ice wrapped in a moist towel.
  • Ice cube massage. To treat 1 or 2 small joints e.g. fingers, use an ice cube wrapped in a thin moist cloth and rub around the joint for 5 minutes.
  • Immersion. Soak hand or foot in cold water for 3-4 minutes with regular removal. Add ice cubes if possible.
  • Contrast Baths. Use 2 basins – one with warm water, the other with cold water (ice cubes can be added).
    • Place the part into the basin of cold water for 1 minute, then into the warm water for 1 minute.
    • Repeat 3-5 times.

For the first 24 to 48 hours after an injury

• Rest and Protect the injured area
• Ice – cool the area
• Compression – apply a compression bandage
• Elevation – keep the area elevated.

After 48 hours

• Move– start gentle movement of the area
• Ice – continue to apply ice for at least 72 hours
• Compression – continue to use a compression bandage for 3-10days.
• Elevate –continue to keep the area elevated for 72 hours.

References

1. Low and Reed, 2000, ‘Electrotherapy Explained - Principles and Practice’, 3rd Edition, Chap. 9.

2. Prentice, Voight (2001), ‘Techniques in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, McGraw-Hill Medical Publishing Division, Chap. 3.

3. The use of ice in treatment of acute soft tissue Injury. Beakley et al. The american Journal of Sports Medicine 32:251261 (2004)

4. http://www.nelh.uk/guidelines/SoftTissueInjury

Help

If in doubt, please contact your GP or the Emergency Department