For decades, physical therapists, not to mention the helpful geezers at the gym, have been telling us to “go home and put some ice on” overworked or injured muscles. Now, it appears, that can be chillingly bad advice. Writing in the Well column of the New York Times, Gretchen Reynolds reports on a meta review of three dozen studies of the pros and cons of putting ice on sports related injuries. Reynolds directs us to a 2004 review of icing-related studies that found that could ease the pain, but not much else, and to a recent and small trial in which cooled body parts did not hurt less or heal faster than uncooled body parts. The final answer, Reynolds says, is that most studies showed that in the short run icing numbed soreness, but it also impaired performance for up to 20 minutes. And the long run? Little benefit, and very few negative effects. So what to do with sore or injured muscles? Just chill, but not with ice.
Health, fitness and lifestyle tips for people over 50 who still like to play hard
Sunday, June 1, 2025
As I read the 2004 study, it seems to conclude that ice is effective for controlling pain. It does not find evidence of other effects, such as improving motion, decreasing swelling, or helping performance. It also states that all the reviewed literature and studies looked were inadequate to determine much else.
Nowhere did it recommend NOT using ice.
I would suggest your own summary should not say “ice the ice”, but rather “ice for pain; don’t expect more”.
I am professionally interested in the healing process. I have used ice for hemostasis but intuitively have doubted its other uses, except for acute burns. I think the use of NSAIDS for inflammation and perhaps heat to enhance blood flow are more effective. Oddly enough I have had two shoulder injuries (one left and one right)that the best therapy ultimately was golf!
The best advice I’ve seen on why NOT to use ice for sports injuries is at this website:
http://www.sacredhealingtree.com/main/blog/tcm-sports-medicineice-for-an-injury-how-could-it-be-so/