Ice vs. Heat for injuries The application of ice or heat on an aching muscle depends on the stage of the injury. Ice is best used on acute injuries that are new and still developing (for the first 48-72 hours ). Heat is best used on chronic, recurring injuries and on injuries that are more than 48 hours old when mobility and strength is the focus.
With new injuries, remember the rule RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. All of these are designed to minimize the damage and swelling that is still developing, as the body responds to a trauma. Ice decreases pain directly, reduces swelling and inflammation, and perhaps most importantly, slows down the metabolism of muscle cells so that they don’t need as much oxygen—which is in short supply, while muscle tissues are constricted by swelling. Cold therapy can slow down and limit the extent to which an injury will develop, and using ice properly will result in less damaged tissue and a smaller area to be repaired, less residual swelling for the body to remove, and so quicker healing overall. To be used properly ice should be applied to the injured area until it is numb (approximately 10-20 minutes). Ice is contraindicated with circulatory insufficiency, Raynaud’s Disease or cold allergies.
Heat decreases muscle spasms directly-- which reduces pain. It also increases circulation of blood, which brings new oxygen to injured areas, and increases metabolism and vasodilatation, all of which helps in the healing process. To be used properly, heat should be applied to the aching muscles for 5-10 minutes. Anything beyond this will feel good, but will not increase the healing process much. Heat is contraindicated during fevers and infections, acute inflammatory conditions, cardiac circulatory insufficiencies, and malignancies.
Ice or heat can be used alternately to act as a pump for faster healing. Toxins are pushed out of muscles and new oxygen is brought back in to heal. This is most effective for sub-acute injuries (after the first 48 hours). To be used properly begin icing for 20 minutes, follow with 5 minutes of heat and end with 20 more minutes of ice.
Ice and Movement for Injuries Ice can be very effective as a treatment, especially when applied immediately after an injury. Ice permits your body to heal quickly in two ways: it promotes even greater blood circulation than heat, and it numbs the pain so that you can move the injured area. The latter is beneficial because the best healing takes place when you actively move your injured part. Movement allows the new forming tissue to remain pliable and healthy while keeping abnormal scar tissue from forming.
In order to benefit from ice you must use it correctly. Chill the injured area for about six to twenty minutes, or until it feels numb. Then begin to move it. Start with small movements and gradually increase your range of motion. (remember to move gently since the tissue is numb: you cannot feel it if you over-extend the area.) When the numbness wears off, apply the ice and repeat the entire process.
“It is the movement part of the ice therapy that makes it so effective. Athletic trainers who use ice and movement report that athletes who might have been out for the season can return to the field within one or two weeks after injury.” -excerpted from Listen to Your Pain by Ben E. Benjamin, P h.D
All About Stress Everybody experiences stress at one time or another. Some people would even say that the environment of today is more stressful than it has ever been. With the advent of technology and the complexity of today’s world, stress seems hard to escape.
The key to not experiencing the negative effects of stress are related to how constructively you handle stress-causing events. A little bit of stress or short term stress can be handled easily by most people. In fact, a certain amount of stress is actually good for your body. It keeps you energized, alert, and can fuel the creative process. However, when events occur that cause you long term stress, or when many difficult events occur simultaneously, your body may have a hard time coping and being to break down.
Stress has been linked with many diseases , including headaches, muscle pain and anxiety disorders. It certainly aggravates most every condition and can rob your body of much needed nutrients, such as B vitamins. Researchers at the University of Texas have shown that when the brain is under stress, it produces an excess of the hormone ACTH. This is the hormone that inhibits the manufacture of white blood cells that are so necessary in fighting disease.
It is vital to slow down and respond positively to the events of our times. Stress is going to occur—but there is is much you can do to deflect the effects. A good start—is a good massage.
MASSAGE—One of the safest most effective ways to manage your stress.
Proper Breathing for Stress Reduction OXYGEN—the first and most basic necessity of life. STRESS—the first and most basic element to cause muscle tension and pain. Optimal breathing brings oxygen into your muscles and helps release stress and tension from your body. The result is heightened energy and awareness, along with reducing the discomforts brought on by improper breathing.
Stress is mirrored in your breath. When you are enduring stress, you tend to breath more shallowly. The carbon dioxide level in the blood rises and the oxygen level decreases. You start breathing harder so you can rid yourself of carbon dioxide build up. This causes the diaphragm to tense, the abdominal muscles to constrict , and you are then unable to inhale deeply and properly. This is called shallow breathing, and starts the cycle all over. You are locked in a state of tension until you can begin breathing from your abdomen once more.
The first step in regaining optimal breath, and its benefits, is to become aware of your breathing patterns and to recognize when you are not breathing correctly. Every time you feel yourself become tense, proper breathing can be employed and your sense of well being will being to improve. Use this breathing technique:
Lie on your back and place your hands on your stomach. Inhale slowly and deeply, letting your abdomen expand fully with air. You will feel the air rise under your hands. Allow the abdomen to fall as you exhale slowly. You are letting go of stress and tension. Repeat inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply for a minimum of two minutes. Work up to five minutes at a time.
Practice this exercise every day, preferably in a quiet place when you can be alone. You should begin to feel calmer and more relaxed when you're done.
You can begin to take control of your stress by proper breath.
With new injuries, remember the rule RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. All of these are designed to minimize the damage and swelling that is still developing, as the body responds to a trauma. Ice decreases pain directly, reduces swelling and inflammation, and perhaps most importantly, slows down the metabolism of muscle cells so that they don’t need as much oxygen—which is in short supply, while muscle tissues are constricted by swelling. Cold therapy can slow down and limit the extent to which an injury will develop, and using ice properly will result in less damaged tissue and a smaller area to be repaired, less residual swelling for the body to remove, and so quicker healing overall. To be used properly ice should be applied to the injured area until it is numb (approximately 10-20 minutes). Ice is contraindicated with circulatory insufficiency, Raynaud’s Disease or cold allergies.
Heat decreases muscle spasms directly-- which reduces pain. It also increases circulation of blood, which brings new oxygen to injured areas, and increases metabolism and vasodilatation, all of which helps in the healing process. To be used properly, heat should be applied to the aching muscles for 5-10 minutes. Anything beyond this will feel good, but will not increase the healing process much. Heat is contraindicated during fevers and infections, acute inflammatory conditions, cardiac circulatory insufficiencies, and malignancies.
Ice or heat can be used alternately to act as a pump for faster healing. Toxins are pushed out of muscles and new oxygen is brought back in to heal. This is most effective for sub-acute injuries (after the first 48 hours). To be used properly begin icing for 20 minutes, follow with 5 minutes of heat and end with 20 more minutes of ice.
Ice and Movement for Injuries Ice can be very effective as a treatment, especially when applied immediately after an injury. Ice permits your body to heal quickly in two ways: it promotes even greater blood circulation than heat, and it numbs the pain so that you can move the injured area. The latter is beneficial because the best healing takes place when you actively move your injured part. Movement allows the new forming tissue to remain pliable and healthy while keeping abnormal scar tissue from forming.
In order to benefit from ice you must use it correctly. Chill the injured area for about six to twenty minutes, or until it feels numb. Then begin to move it. Start with small movements and gradually increase your range of motion. (remember to move gently since the tissue is numb: you cannot feel it if you over-extend the area.) When the numbness wears off, apply the ice and repeat the entire process.
“It is the movement part of the ice therapy that makes it so effective. Athletic trainers who use ice and movement report that athletes who might have been out for the season can return to the field within one or two weeks after injury.” -excerpted from Listen to Your Pain by Ben E. Benjamin, P h.D
All About Stress Everybody experiences stress at one time or another. Some people would even say that the environment of today is more stressful than it has ever been. With the advent of technology and the complexity of today’s world, stress seems hard to escape.
The key to not experiencing the negative effects of stress are related to how constructively you handle stress-causing events. A little bit of stress or short term stress can be handled easily by most people. In fact, a certain amount of stress is actually good for your body. It keeps you energized, alert, and can fuel the creative process. However, when events occur that cause you long term stress, or when many difficult events occur simultaneously, your body may have a hard time coping and being to break down.
Stress has been linked with many diseases , including headaches, muscle pain and anxiety disorders. It certainly aggravates most every condition and can rob your body of much needed nutrients, such as B vitamins. Researchers at the University of Texas have shown that when the brain is under stress, it produces an excess of the hormone ACTH. This is the hormone that inhibits the manufacture of white blood cells that are so necessary in fighting disease.
It is vital to slow down and respond positively to the events of our times. Stress is going to occur—but there is is much you can do to deflect the effects. A good start—is a good massage.
MASSAGE—One of the safest most effective ways to manage your stress.
Proper Breathing for Stress Reduction OXYGEN—the first and most basic necessity of life. STRESS—the first and most basic element to cause muscle tension and pain. Optimal breathing brings oxygen into your muscles and helps release stress and tension from your body. The result is heightened energy and awareness, along with reducing the discomforts brought on by improper breathing.
Stress is mirrored in your breath. When you are enduring stress, you tend to breath more shallowly. The carbon dioxide level in the blood rises and the oxygen level decreases. You start breathing harder so you can rid yourself of carbon dioxide build up. This causes the diaphragm to tense, the abdominal muscles to constrict , and you are then unable to inhale deeply and properly. This is called shallow breathing, and starts the cycle all over. You are locked in a state of tension until you can begin breathing from your abdomen once more.
The first step in regaining optimal breath, and its benefits, is to become aware of your breathing patterns and to recognize when you are not breathing correctly. Every time you feel yourself become tense, proper breathing can be employed and your sense of well being will being to improve. Use this breathing technique:
Lie on your back and place your hands on your stomach. Inhale slowly and deeply, letting your abdomen expand fully with air. You will feel the air rise under your hands. Allow the abdomen to fall as you exhale slowly. You are letting go of stress and tension. Repeat inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply for a minimum of two minutes. Work up to five minutes at a time.
Practice this exercise every day, preferably in a quiet place when you can be alone. You should begin to feel calmer and more relaxed when you're done.
You can begin to take control of your stress by proper breath.
The Importance of Stretching
Stretching is an important part of muscle health. It is a simple, quick and effective way to bring blood, which carries the oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, making them more supple and relaxed. A relaxed muscle is less likely to tear or go into spasm. This means a decrease in body pain and in increase in general well-being.
It’s not just an athlete that needs to stretch. Most of us think of stretching in association with cooling down after exercise or playing sports. Of course, stretching at this time is an important part of decreasing your chance of injuries. However, stretching can also be incorporated into your daily living to give you more energy, introduce gentle body awareness, and keep your muscles more relaxed and free of stress.
When working for long periods in one position, your body needs breaks. You can do this by simply stopping every hour to stretch. If you are working at a computer or desk, do some neck rolls. If on your feet, stretch your legs and low back. At the wheel, stop and stretch your neck and shoulders. Five minutes of stretching every hour can save you from painful, stiff muscles at the end of a workday. Also, once you begin stretching regularly, you start to have more awareness of your body, and are able to stop and relax your muscles consciously and ward off potential injuries.
A little stretching throughout the day can go a long way--
Stretching is an important part of muscle health. It is a simple, quick and effective way to bring blood, which carries the oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, making them more supple and relaxed. A relaxed muscle is less likely to tear or go into spasm. This means a decrease in body pain and in increase in general well-being.
It’s not just an athlete that needs to stretch. Most of us think of stretching in association with cooling down after exercise or playing sports. Of course, stretching at this time is an important part of decreasing your chance of injuries. However, stretching can also be incorporated into your daily living to give you more energy, introduce gentle body awareness, and keep your muscles more relaxed and free of stress.
When working for long periods in one position, your body needs breaks. You can do this by simply stopping every hour to stretch. If you are working at a computer or desk, do some neck rolls. If on your feet, stretch your legs and low back. At the wheel, stop and stretch your neck and shoulders. Five minutes of stretching every hour can save you from painful, stiff muscles at the end of a workday. Also, once you begin stretching regularly, you start to have more awareness of your body, and are able to stop and relax your muscles consciously and ward off potential injuries.
A little stretching throughout the day can go a long way--
