Search
shop

Injury treatment…ice or heat?

Often people will use medication, ice or heat, to make themselves feel better after an injury - but how do they effect the healing?
Chief Correspondent
Last updated -

Liam Goode, Senior Physiotherapist at Physo4Life (www.physio4life.co.uk) takes a look at the use of ice or heat to help treat injuries.


Most injuries (sprained joints, torn muscles), involve some level of damage to tissue and that causes you to feel pain. Often people will use medication, ice or heat, to make themselves feel better – but how do they effect the healing of an injury?

The choice is between pain and optimising your healing times. Make no mistake the human body is a slow healer at the best of times but to prevent things dragging on, ice (my preference to heat), will increase blood flow to the injury and make the blood vessels more permeable so the chemicals necessary for healing can pass through more freely. This chemical ‘exchange’ is called the inflammatory response and it is painful. That’s normal.

The ice or heat will promote the efficiency of the exchange and very possibly (but not all the time), the pain levels. Anti inflammatories (Ibuprofen etc) can help ease your pain, but they will have a slowing effect on your healing. This is because they will slow the ‘exchange’ down and ultimately lead to poor quality of healing. However, the pain will feel better.

When I get asked what people should use, my answer always leans towards ice. However, if your pain levels are too high it is perfectly reasonable to use anti inflammatories to get you through the worst of it – you can always use the ice later. Ultimately, your pain tolerance will dictate everything.

John Levison
Written by
John Levison
TRI247's Chief Correspondent, John has been involved in triathlon for well over 30 years, 15 of those writing on these pages, whilst he can also be found commentating for events across the UK.
Discover more
Challenge Sardinia location
Let’s race… Challenge Forte Village Sardinia
Are calf sleeves actually worth it for triathletes? How many watts aero calf compression sleeves could save you
Laura Siddall Patagonman Xtreme Triathlon 2023
PremiumAre we in a triathlon boom, or hurtling towards burnout? Laura Siddall on the growth of the sport
Is sports nutrition bad for you? Ultra-processed foods are under siege, and athletes are caught in the cross fire – but should we be worried?
Challenge Barcelona 2023 - Photo Credit: Jose Luis Hourcade
The ultimate city break triathlon race-cations: from Challenge Barcelona to Singapore T100 these are the best city centre races to combine multisport with sightseeing
latest News
Leslie Knibb Kona 2025 1
‘This is a sport I’m not sure you ever figure out’ – how Mum Leslie Knibb inspired daughter Taylor
Laura Siddall Craig Alexander Daniela Ryf Kona 2025
Sid’s day four diary: Double run day as triathlon legends converge on Kona
Lisa Perterer Kona 2025
IRONMAN World Championship Kona: Lisa Perterer poised to spring another surprise
Kat Matthews wins IRONMAN 703 Swansea 2025
Why a change in approach could help Kat Matthews achieve World Championship glory
Laura Siddall Kona 2025 day three AG1 boat mk2
Sid’s day three diary from Kona: Breakfast with Bob and coffee catch up with Indie
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
247 Endurance

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

All plans include a 7-day free trial

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

All plans include a 7-day free trial

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...