Posted on 07/27/2014 1:46:19 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
For decades, the standard method for treating injuries was RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
Everyone from Little League coaches to pro sports trainers knows icing is a sure way to reduce swelling, inflammation and pain, and speed healing. That has been the conventional wisdom.
Now comes Gary Reinl, with 40 years of experience in sports, fitness, and rehab, with an iconoclastic message. In his self-published book ICED!, Reinl argues that icing is not only wrong - "an illusionary treatment" - but also counterproductive and harmful.
"There's not a shred of evidence that icing is helpful," Reinl said. "To the contrary, it does the opposite. It delays healing, it increases swelling, causes additional damage, and shuts off signals that alert the body to harmful movement."
And yet, Reinl laments, "everyone does it."
Why?
"Because a myth is hard to undo."
Reinl, 61, lives in Henderson, Nev., a suburb of Las Vegas. He grew up in Aldan, Delaware County, and is a proud original member of "Pat Croce's posse." In 1973, he opened the seventh Nautilus gym in the world, he says, where he worked with pro athletes such as Franco Harris. He was also an early advocate of strength training for pregnant women. Later, as general manager of the medical division of Nautilus, he developed a widely adopted strength-training protocol for the elderly. Hired by the company that became Novacare, he steered the nursing-home division into "sports medicine for 95-year-olds."
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
Opinions?
I never thought much of ice as a palliative treatment for injury. Frankly, I prefer heat. However, when I had a knee replacement a year ago, I found that ice wraps after rehab exercises were soothing. Was that my imagination?
Interesting article here about ice.
I have some trouble with sore feet and a soothing treatment is to freeze a plastic bottle of water, and wearing socks, roll the frozen bottle back and forth under my feet. Works great. Hint: pour a little of the water out before freezing to allow for expansion of the ice.
I think Kevin Everett formerly of the Buffalo Bills would disagree. they lowered his body temp to reduce swelling following a catastrophic injury to his spine. He walks today because of it!
No, ice helped me when I had knee replacement....both times. I did use heat for pain though. It was very helpful.
Put the sock on the bottle and it works even better.
He’s pimping his book.
Not that that is prima facie evidence of him being wrong. Just something that might may you say Hmmmm....
may -—> make
They did that with my dog, but they used Prednisone to reduce the swelling. She lived to 15 1/2, although she always walked a little funny. (Ruptured disc.) The experimental treatment that she received at UW Madison Vet clinic was adopted nationwide for spinal cord injuries a year late.
rehab??
A general manager for a division? Any hands-on post-trauma experience? Outside the..... uh,... gym, maybe?
Headlines in 30 years:
“3 silent killers”
Oatmeal: The Silent Killer
Exercise: The Silent Killer
Jogging: The Silent Killer
Fat moves to base of food pyramid
Government health experts encourage people to eat more fat
More Doctors Agree: Smoking good for you
Brushing teeth wear them down faster; American Dental Association urges toothbrush ban
And so on and so forth....
No. Ice freezes the cells and nerves. Ergo you feel less pain. However, freezing kills the cells.
Ice was used to 'soothe' the pain in our past, because it was much easier to find around the house than a hypodermic injection of local anesthetic.
“I think Kevin Everett formerly of the Buffalo Bills would disagree. they lowered his body temp to reduce swelling following a catastrophic injury to his spine. He walks today because of it!”
They did it to prepare for his operation. It did NOT contribute to his healing ...
I put a little whiskey in with the ice and drink it, which makes everything feel better, not just my feet.
It’s pimping his book. What nonsense. I’ve had the double knee replacement as others posting here have. I’ve had EMT & other medical training, and I’ve had plenty of injuries.
When applied properly cooling just plain works.
If you are freezing the cells it is improper application.
I’m an ACE fitness trainer. Back in February, I attended two different seminars about RICE. One pro swore by it, another swore at it. Sigh.
So right....LOL
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