According to the Sports Injury Info website, ice massage, a form of cryotherapy, is an effective treatment for musculoskeletal injuries 1. Ice massage, which may incorporate the use of ice cubes or ice packs, helps decrease pain, swelling and inflammation in injured tissues, and is applied in a way that mobilizes or massages your tissues to promote healing. Ice massage can be used for both acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions.

Is This an Emergency?

If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.

Reduces Pain, Swelling & Inflammation

According to certified athletic trainer Terry Zeigler at SportsMD.com, ice massage is an effective therapeutic procedure to relieve acute or chronic pain, inflammation and post-surgical pain and swelling. Zeigler states that ice massage affects your body in numerous ways, including reducing blood flow to the area of injury, which reduces swelling 1. Ice massage acts as an analgesic or pain-reliever by numbing tissues, reducing muscle spasms and slowing tissue metabolism.

Lowers Your Metabolic Rate & Promotes Healing

How to Treat Severe Muscle Soreness From Weightlifting

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; 1999'). Secondary injury is caused by post-trauma hypoxia or tissue oxygen deficiency, and is due to the following factors: bleeding of injured blood vessels, hemostasis or the stoppage of bleeding and reduced blood flow due to increased blood viscosity or thickness.

Possible Relief From Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a painful and temporarily debilitating condition that you feel in your muscles for one to three days following strenuous exercise 5. Although it's often confused with regular muscle soreness, DOMS is more severe and lasts longer. Although DOMS typically disappears on its own after about 72 hours, you should consider seeking treatment to reduce the severity of symptoms, improve quality of life and regain ability to perform your normal activities of daily living. According to the Sports Injury Bulletin website, cryotherapy and ice massage may help alleviate the pain associated with DOMS, although the Sports Injury Bulletin website notes that more research is required to substantiate the use of cryotherapy and ice massage for DOMS 1.

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