Ice vs Heat treatments?
By using either ice or heat to an affected area, you will be able to help the tissue to return to a healthy state and improve the speed to recovery. To know when and how to properly use ice or heat please see the following links: How to Ice / How to use Heat.
Heat benefits:
– Increase the extensibility of soft tissue
– Remove toxins from cells
– Enhance blood flow
– Increase function of the tissue cells
– Encourage muscle relaxation
– Relieve pain
– There are two types of heat: superficial and deep
– Superficial heat treatments are surface based.
– Deep heat treatments direct the heat toward specific inner tissues through ultrasound or by electro-current.
Ice benefits:
– Reduce bleeding in tissues
– Prevent or reduce swelling
– Reduce muscle pain and spasm
– Reduce pain by numbing area and by limiting the effects of swelling
