When is Cold Therapy Appropriate?

With immediate injuries, such as sprains and strains follow the protocol commonly known as R.I.C.E:

Rest

As soon as the injury occurs, stop doing any activity that utilizes the injured area. If an injury occurs to a lower limb or knee, try to keep weight off your leg and walk as little as possible. Your body needs to rest in order to heal effectively.

Ice

Apply cold therapy to the injured area as soon as possible. Keep the ice pack on for 15 to no more than 20 minutes. Often, the ThermoActive™ support will only require 10 minutes for an effective treatment.

Applying cold treatment for more than 20 minutes can actually injure you further by causing tissue damage or frostbite.

Compression

Compression helps limit and reduce swelling, which slows down healing. If you feel throbbing, or if the wrap just feels too tight, remove and re-wrap the area so it feels looser.

 
Elevation

Elevate the injury to reduce swelling. It's most effective when the injured area is raised above the level of the heart. Wait 45 minutes then apply the next ice treatment. Apply the treatment a few times a day for the first 3 days.

Keeping the injured area elevated will also help to reduce swelling and decrease pain.