Changes

==My Approach==

My personal approach is to apply ice for much longer; often for hours continuously. I find that this produces much deeper healing and I have never had any problems. However, there are a number of conditions that would make this approach dangerous, such as poor circulation, diabetes or arthritis<ref name="x3"/>. You should also be careful about applying ice for prolonged periods at joints such as elbow or ankle; the nerves are closer to the surface. I know some people like to use a compression bandage to hold the ice in place, adding compression to the cooling.

==Danger - Avoid Gel Packs and Frozen Vegetables==

I use ice in a hefty Ziploc bag rather than gel packs as Gel packs start off too cold, then warm up too quickly. If you use ice, the temperature will remain constant around freezing until all the ice is melted<ref name="x3"/>. If you use gel packs, or frozen vegetables, you risk frostbite.

<ref name="IceMassage">Intramuscular temperature response... [J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1998] - PubMed - NCBI http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9549714 </ref>

<ref name="IceCompression">The Effects Of Ice And Compression Wraps On Intramuscular Temperatures At Various Depths http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1317720/ </ref>

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