Should i Use Ice or Heat for Knee Pain?
Do I use ice or heat for knee pain?
We are often told to ice for pain and sometimes that works, and sometimes it doesn’t. Other people believe you should only use heat for pain, and sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t. In this article I am talking about using an ice pack, ice cubes, an electric heating pad or a microwaveable heating pad.
When should I use ice for knee pain?
A new injury
When the knee is hot and swollen
After a workout
How does ice work to get rid of knee pain?
Ice works to get rid of knee pain by cooling it off, restricting blood flow and stopping the inflammatory process.
This is why using ice for a new injury is helpful. Icing a new injury will reduce swelling and decrease pain.
If you have a hot and swollen knee from a new injury ice will be your friend. We want to draw out some of the heat from the joint to decrease the warmth and swelling. Using ice on a hot joint will decrease swelling and pain.
If you’ve had a hard workout ice is a good thing to do immediately after you are done with the workout. Icing your knee after a workout calms down inflammation and can prevent pain from setting in.
How long should I ice my knee?
Icing should be for 20-30 minutes at a time.
How many times a day should I ice an injury?
Ice an injury as often as you can. Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, take it off for 20 minutes before putting it on again.
For a new injury I like icing at least 5 times a day for 20 minutes each time.
When should I use heat for knee pain?
To warm up muscles
To warm up a stiff joint
Before a workout
Baker’s Cyst
Heat helps improve circulation and warm up your system. This is why using heat before a workout or on cold, stiff muscles and joints works really well.
If you wake up in the morning with a stiff knee use heat first thing in the morning. You can get in a hot shower to warm up your muscles and stiff joints in the morning.
One particular diagnosis or injury that heat tends to be very helpful for is a Baker’s Cyst.
What is a Baker’s Cyst?
A Baker’s Cyst is a fluid filled sac at the back of your knee. This cyst can swell up and limit knee motion, a Baker’s Cyst can also be very painful.
Using heat on a Baker’s Cyst helps decrease swelling by increasing the circulation in the area, then the fluid in the cyst is drawn out into the bloodstream, thus reducing the size of the cyst.
How long should I heat my knee for?
Using a heating pad or a microwaveable heating pad on your knee should be done for 20-30 minutes at a time.
How often should I heat my knee?
Heat your knee as often as you need to.
How often should I heat my knee for stiff joints?
Heat your knee every morning, especially using a hot shower, to get your knee moving first thing in the morning.
Is it bad to use a heating pad for more than 30 minutes?
Yes, it can be. The longer you use the heating pad for increases the chance of burning your skin.
Always use a heating pad while you’re awake, and make sure the skin in the area you’re using the heating pad has feeling/sensation. If the area is numb and the heating pad is too hot you may not be able to feel it.
So that’s ice packs and heating pads for knee pain. Ice is great for a new injury, when the knee is hot and swollen, and after a hard workout to prevent pain and swelling. Heating pads are helpful to warm up stiff joints and muscles in the morning and before a workout, and for Baker’s Cysts. For more tips and tricks follow my page!
Should I Use Ice or Heat For My Knee?