What to do with acute sports injuries? Ice or hot compress? The Sports Pain Management Manual was released on the 9th
I accidentally sprained my foot during exercise. Should I apply ice or heat?
Under the trend of national fitness, the frequency of sports injuries such as ligament strains and Achilles tendon ruptures is also increasing. Enhancing public awareness of scientific fitness and improving public awareness and management ability of common sports injuries should be promoted simultaneously.
In response to the initial question, the "Sports Pain Management Manual" points out that in dealing with acute sports injuries, it is best to start applying ice within 5-10 minutes after the injury, which helps to reduce the temperature of the injured area, reduce inflammation and muscle spasms, relieve pain, and suppress swelling. It is recommended to use a mixture of crushed ice and water to apply ice for 15-20 minutes. After applying ice, the skin condition should be observed. Repeat every 1-2 hours for the first 24 hours, then gradually reduce the frequency and continue to apply ice for 3 days. If there is any circulatory or vascular disease in the affected area, or if there is decreased sensation or numbness, ice should not be applied to avoid frostbite.
At the same time, it is important to avoid hot compress, or use ointment that causes local fever after application, or use alcohol, safflower oil, etc. Ointments generally have the effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, which can worsen local redness and swelling.
When sports injuries occur, simple self diagnosis and timely treatment are particularly important for reducing the harm caused by sports injuries and avoiding secondary injuries. Normally, for individuals without a reserve of professional medical knowledge, it is recommended to only handle simple closed soft tissue injuries or open injuries with minimal bleeding. For severe injuries, it is recommended to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
The "Exercise Pain Management Manual" proposes the principles for managing acute sports injuries, namely the "POLICE MM" principle, which includes seven principles: protection, appropriate load, ice compress, compression bandaging, elevation, physical therapy, and medication treatment.
On September 9th, the "Sports Pain Management Manual" was released in Shanghai, with the participation and guidance of the Training Bureau of the General Administration of Sport of China and public welfare support from Futalin. The manual includes four aspects: "The difference between sports injuries and sports soreness," "Common causes of sports injuries," "Methods for handling common sports injuries," and "Prevention of sports injuries." It includes high-frequency sports science Q&A.