Featuring Mr. Matthew Powell, MCPA, FCAMT, CGIMS West 4th Physiotherapy Clinic Vancouver BC

Duration: 59 seconds

Cold therapy is usually administered though ice, and ice is the cornerstone of the rest, ice, compression, elevation, or RICE regime.

Ice should be administered through a damp cloth, so that no frost damage occurs to the skin. When ice is applied in that way, there's a constriction of the underlying blood vessels, and this narrows the blood flow coming into the area, which means that bleeding from the injured area is minimized, which is great because we don't want too much bleeding - it promotes stiffness later on in the injury.

There are sometimes when ice is not suitable such as through an open wound or when sensory or circulatory deficiency is evident. And immediately after that 48-hour period, try and consult with a physiotherapist for assessment of the injury and advice on what management is suitable going forward.

Presenter: Mr. Matthew Powell, Physiotherapist, Vancouver, BC

Local Practitioners: Physiotherapist