Ice for Injuries: Time to Rethink What We've Been Told
Is Ice good for Injuries?
If you ask any mother, babysitter, school nurse, or little league coach what their go-to first aid item is, chances are it’s ice. Before the band-aids and rubbing alcohol even come out, the first instinct is to grab an ice pack.
Burn your hand? Ice it. Sprain your ankle? Ice. Bump your head? Stung by a bee? Ice, ice, ice. It’s been drilled into us that ice is the ultimate cure-all for acute injuries, and for decades, that belief has gone largely unchallenged.
Every medical professional such as doctors, physical therapists, nurses, and athletic trainers have championed ice as a main strategy for strains, sprains, and even broken bones.
Most of us are even familiar with the acronym R.I.C.E.—Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation—the staple first-aid mantra for musculoskeletal injuries taught everywhere from first-aid courses to medical school classrooms.
But here’s the twist: Not every healthcare system or tradition agrees with this blanket reliance on ice.
In fact, Dr. Gabe Mirkin, who was the originator of the R.I.C.E. protocol back in the 1970’s has since renounced the widespread use on ice. Dr. Mirkin has come to realize what Chinese Medicine has known for centuries: Ice might be doing more harm than good in the long run.
You can read Dr. Mirkin’s article Why Ice Delays Recovery https://drmirkin.com/fitness/why-ice-delays-recovery.html
The Problem with R.I.C.E.
The biggest problem with (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) is the blanket overuse of ICE. At the core, ice is used for the reduction of swelling and inflammation. While that sounds totally logical to want to reduce swelling, the problem is that our bodies' innate healing intelligence is smarter than we realize.
Research shows that inflammation is actually essential for healing and that using ice to suppress inflammation can backfire.
Here is what we now know about healing
1. Healing Requires Inflammation
Inflammation isn’t the villain it’s often made out to be—it’s the body’s natural response to injury. When you sprain an ankle or pull a muscle, your body sends immune cells, nutrients, and proteins to the injured area. These elements are the “construction crew” that repairs damaged tissue.
Icing an injury interrupts this process. Ice constricts blood vessels, our blood vessels are the roads and highways the body uses to transport nutrients throughout the body.
Constricting blood vessels slows down blood flow and keeps healing cells from reaching the injured area. Without these immune cells, nutrients, and proteins reaching the area of injury your body cannot repair itself as efficiently.
2. Ice Keeps Healing Cells from Entering Injured Tissue
While icing might temporarily numb pain and reduce swelling, it does so at a cost. Ice causes the blood vessels in the injured area to constrict, effectively closing the door on the healing process.
This isn’t just theory—it’s been backed by research. A 2013 study published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine looked at athletes who exercised so intensely they developed severe muscle damage and soreness. Cooling did delay swelling, but it didn’t speed up recovery. In other words, while icing might make an injury feel better temporarily, it doesn’t necessarily help the body heal faster.
3. Anything That Reduces Inflammation Also Delays Healing
It’s not just ice—other methods that aim to reduce inflammation, such as anti-inflammatory drugs (like ibuprofen), can also delay healing. When you suppress inflammation, you’re essentially telling the body to pause its natural repair process.
Inflammation can be uncomfortable, but it’s a sign your body is working. Instead of trying to fight it, the goal should be to manage it so it doesn’t interfere with function while still allowing the healing process to run its course.
What Does the Research Say?
Let’s take a closer look at the studies behind these findings:
A 2013 study in The American Journal of Sports Medicine found that while cooling delayed swelling, it did not speed up recovery from muscle damage. The athletes in the study experienced extensive soreness, but icing provided little benefit in terms of recovery time.
A 2004 meta-analysis in the same journal reviewed 22 scientific articles and found almost no evidence that ice and compression hastened healing. While ice combined with exercise might slightly improve recovery from ankle sprains, the overall benefit was marginal. Compression alone was often just as effective as compression with ice.
What Should You Do Instead?
So if R.I.C.E. is outdated, what’s the alternative? Here’s a step-by-step guide based on modern recovery science:
1. Replace Rest with Active Recovery
Instead of complete rest, focus on active recovery. Gentle movements—like stretching, light walking, or mobility exercises—help stimulate blood flow and promote healing without overloading the injured tissue.
2. Use Heat Instead of Ice
Heat therapy can increase blood flow to the injured area, delivering healing nutrients and cells more effectively. Save ice for situations where reducing immediate pain or swelling is critical, which would be right after an acute injury. I recommend the first 24 hours only.
3. Focus on Compression
Compression still has value. Using a wrap or compression bandage can help reduce swelling without completely halting the inflammatory process. Make sure it’s snug but not so tight that it restricts blood flow.
4. Elevate When Necessary
Elevation can help reduce swelling in the first 24–48 hours, but it’s not essential for healing. Think of it as a tool for managing discomfort rather than a critical step.
5. Prioritize Nutrition and Hydration
Your body needs the right building blocks to repair itself. Focus on anti-inflammatory foods like leafy greens, berries, and fatty fish, as well as staying hydrated.
6. Get Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a proven treatment for all types of sports injuries. Athletes at all levels have embraced the healing abilities of acupuncture. Acupuncture can increase local circulation to the injured area, reduce inflammation, and encourage the release of stem cells to the area.
The Best Practices for Faster Healing
Here’s a quick cheat sheet for modern injury recovery:
How Chinese Medicine Treats Injuries.
For over a thousand years, Chinese medicine has taken a different approach to treating external injuries like sprains, strains, and even broken bones. A common saying in Chinese Medicine is that “Ice Is For Dead People”, which alludes to the only reason to put ice on someone is if they are dead.
It has been understood for centuries that cold reduces circulation, and slows healing. Chinese Medicine even goes as far as frowning on consuming cold drinks in excess.
According to the principles of Chinese Medicine, ice decreases circulation which can directly hinder healing and create further imbalances. Instead, Chinese Medicine emphasizes
Instead, acupuncturists and Chinese medicine practitioners rely on time-tested methods to reduce swelling, promote circulation, and support recovery.
Tools of the Trade: How Chinese Medicine Speeds Up Healing
Herbal Topicals: Chinese medicine has many specially formulated ointments and liquids that can be applied directly to the injured areas. These herbal topicals are able to reduce swelling, and also encourage blood flow to support healing.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a great healing modality for treating all types of injuries. Acupuncture treatments can help improve circulation, reduce pain, and speed up recovery.
Moxibustion: This is a warming technique that involves using the herb mugwort to gently warm the injured area. The heat increases circulation and supports the body’s natural healing abilities.
By combining these techniques, Chinese medicine helps the body heal faster without interfering with it’s natural recovery processes.
Conclusion: Rethink Your Approach to Healing
When it comes to treating injuries, it’s time to move beyond the “ice it and wait” approach. While icing may temporarily reduce swelling, we now know that ice slows your body’s natural ability to heal. Chinese medicine offers a holistic, effective alternative that focuses on increasing circulation, reducing pain, and supporting your body’s natural recovery process.
If you’re ready to try a different approach to healing—one that works with your body instead of against it—Enso Acupuncture is here to help.
Our personalized treatments combine acupuncture, herbal remedies, and other time-tested techniques to get you back on your feet faster.
Contact us today to schedule your consultation. Let’s work together to create a recovery plan that supports your body’s natural healing abilities and gets you back to the activities you love.
