08/12/2025
Ice Pack Or Heat?
If muscles ache it's often hard to know what's best to use.
Heat is great for soothing muscles, but if the muscles stiffen back up within a few hours then you may be prolonging the agony.
Muscles tighten to protect underlying inflammatory conditions - ligament or cartilage damage.
Heat packs add more fire to the furnace, giving you a short term reprieve but inadvertently making the pain stay with you longer.
You wouldn't put heat on an ankle sprain would you?
Ice can be surprisingly soothing. Just wrap the pack in a thin towel to prevent an ice burn, placing over the spine at the level of the ache, for 5 - 15 minutes, with an hour or more inbetween to allow muscles to recover and avoid stiffness.
**Allow 5 minutes for the neck where joints are much closer to the surface, 15 minutes for the rest of the spine or pelvis**