In a previous blog, we did talk about heat packs, now it is time to talk about the Ice Pack.
Ice pack application, in the last few years, is a practice that got reviewed.
What Ice Pack is about?
An Ice pack, as the name says, is a cold (icy) bag.
As better explained in this study an ice pack is something that can be applied to an acute injury, to prevent swelling and reduce pain, but it can’t be used for too long.
As per the heat pack, an Ice Pack burn the skin, and that’s one reason why its usage has to be short (10 to 15mins at a time).
In addition, extended exposure to icy temperatures, would reduce the blood flow around the injured tissue and can also damage nerves.
Ice Pack usage recommendation:
- You have a new injury or aggravation of an existing condition, and the pain is above 7 out of 10.
- Where you want to minimize swelling to keep you mobile later.
There are different types of Ice packs:
- Home-made one, ice from the freezer wrapped in a towel.
- Gel pack
- Ice Bag (as per the photo)
- Instant one – most of the time found in the first aid kit. Snap it and a chemical reaction would occur in the bag and freeze the bag.
Those last ones are efficient as you can store them anywhere safely and use them as you need them.
The cold lasts for about 20 minutes. Not to be used if they are broken.
On the other hand, if you running out of ideas of what to use as a Cold pack, you can even use a bag of frozen food. Still would do the work. We have the ice bath and the cold show related to this topic.
I did experience cold showers myself, most of the time not of my choice, but because of a limited supply of hot water, and I have to say that even on this topic, there are a series of debates on how that works and if it’s beneficial.
So far, a cold shower, compared to a hot shower, is better for dry skin.
This is because the heat of the water combined with soap can wash away the good oils of the skin.
Then the benefit of an Ice bath can be more of a placebo effect.
But again, I haven’t done much digging about myself, so I would stay out of any comment regarding it.
Ice pack after a Massage?
Well, as mentioned above, the usage of Ice Pack is suggested after an acute injury.
So, either after a Remedial Massage or a Thai Massage, firstly there should be no acute injury, secondly, you want the blood flow along the worked area to stay active and not restricted.
That’s why a heat pack would be more recommended.
Giovanni La Rocca
Giovanni moved to Melbourne, Australia, from Italy in 2008 and became a citizen in 2017. He started studying massage therapy in 2016, then completed a Bachelor of Health Science in Clinical Myotherapy in August 2024. During those years, he also specialised in Thai Massage and Manual Lymphatic Drainage for presentations like Lipedema and Lymphoedema. Nowadays, he runs his clinic in Fitzroy North, Melbourne, where he integrates movement therapy into his practice to enhance overall well-being. He also values meditation, having completed several Vipassana courses. Committed to continuous learning, he aims to share his expertise in integrated therapies to help others achieve balance and resilience.