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- $Unique_ID{BRK00273}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Should You Use a Hot or Cold Pack on a Sprained Ankle?}
- $Subject{sprain ankle football treatment Accidents accident joint joints
- ankles knees ligaments tendons Collagen elastic stretches bruise swollen cold
- blood flow swelling internal bleeding nerve activity numbing heat relax}
- $Volume{O-17}
- $Log{
- Muscles and Tendons of the Knee*0006201.scf
- Anatomy of the Ankle*0006602.scf
- Anatomy of the Knee Ligaments*0015501.scf}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
-
-
- Should You Use a Hot or Cold Pack on a Sprained Ankle?
-
-
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-
- QUESTION: Please settle a bet for me. I say that you should apply hot packs
- to a sprained ankle, but my husband insists that the proper treatment is an
- ice pack, like they use for football players who are injured. What is the
- correct procedure?
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- ANSWER: Far be it from me to interfere in a marital disagreement (what did
- you bet?). Actually you may both be considered right; it's all a matter of
- timing. All joints, such as ankles and knees, are surrounded by ligaments and
- tendons, which are built of a tissue in which a protein, collagen, is a
- primary building block. Collagen is an elastic, rubber-like material which
- stretches like a rubber band. And just like a rubber band, pull it too far
- and it tears, and the blood vessels which run through the tissue rupture,
- spilling blood cells and fluid into the surrounding structures. You can
- observe this as a bruise, swollen and discolored. When exposed to cold, the
- collagen becomes stiff, and the tissue cell activity is reduced. This in turn
- reduces the flow of blood to the area, and reduces the swelling and internal
- bleeding. In addition, cold can lower nerve activity, reducing pain and
- numbing the treated area. Heat, on the other hand, increases the flexibility
- of collagen, allowing the tendons and ligaments to relax. It also increases
- blood flow and speeds the healing process. Thus the correct sequence of
- events is as follows: Cold is applied initially to an injury and throughout
- the acute phase, which lasts about 48 hours. Then it is time for the hot
- compresses, heating pads or heat lamps. Hot water bottles are effective, but
- the water temperature should be maintained at about 104 F (about 40 degrees
- Centigrade.) I leave it to you to figure out who won the bet.
-
- ----------------
-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
-
-