Alpha Clinic Top Tips
Cold not hot!
Cold pack applied to neck injury
The use of cold applications or environments to alleviate back pain and many sports injuries is known as cryotherapy. Its goal is to decrease cellular metabolism, increase cellular survival, decrease inflammation, decrease pain and spasm, promote vasoconstriction (minimise diameter of blood vessels).
So if you are suffering from neck or back pain or a sports injury, you can use a cold pack from the pharmacist, a “traditional” bag of frozen peas or if its a foot or hand/wrist injury you can immerse it in a basin of ice water.
To avoid an ice “burn”, wrap the ice pack or peas in a paper kitchen towel before application and to avoid getting frost bite, only apply for a maximum of 10-15 minutes. Application can be repeated every 50-60 minutes.
Andy Murray Ice Bath
