ICING AN INJURY. What happens if you ice for too long?

FIGHTING TALK · 06-13-2007, 05:54 PM

I have had a very slight ache in my shoulder for a couple of months now.
It doesnt really affect anything, punching, press-ups, grappling, it is only a very dull pain and lately I have started doing weights again (light-medium charge) and it seems better having been used again in this way. It has reacted positively to the weights sets which I was pleased about.

It only really bothers me when I wake.
And it isnt the muscle itself that hurts, it is the bone that hurts to the touch (when I press slightly). No idea how I did this to my shoulder but its as if the bone took a bad knock at some point and is still bruised- its not a muscle strain or tear (I dont think...)

Anyway...
I have been icing it once or twice a day for about 10-15 mins at a time.
Only today I had the ice-pack on it and I fell asleep watching TV and the ice stayed on there for probably something like an hour, hour and a half.
It feels really sore now and 'dead' and I am just wondering what I have done exactly by icing it for this long and whether it will be fine again in a couple of days (or at least as good as it was before I iced it for that length of time today).

So basically Im just wondering why we are told to only ice the injuries for 10-15 mins, because I have never really known what damage we can do by icing injuries for longer spells.

Thanks.

Klotz · 06-13-2007, 05:59 PM

SEE A DOCTOR!

Nothing bad will happen if you ice it too long, besides the fact that it will be uncomfortable cold. Take a hot shower and it should go back to normal.

**Cap'n** · 06-13-2007, 06:03 PM

I wouldn't say a HOT shower, just a warm shower. Too much contrast in temp is painful.

FIGHTING TALK · 06-13-2007, 06:09 PM

ok sound, I was just thinking of nerve damage or something bizarre like that. I dont really have a clue (isnt that obvious! lol) It just feels so dead and its been gradually getting better and better before this.

so why do they tell you to ice for 10 mins then ?? is it just cus they know youll be bored after that!
and why does my icepack recommend I wrap it in a cloth before applying it to the injury (which just makes it less cold!!!)

**Cap'n** · 06-13-2007, 06:21 PM

You only ice for 10-15 minutes at a time because frost bite sucks.

mschatz · 06-13-2007, 06:22 PM

frostbite? no, really...

Klotz · 06-13-2007, 06:41 PM

They tell you 10 minutes because after an hour your arm gets cold and numb and it sucks.

younggunz · 06-13-2007, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIGHTING TALK

ok sound, I was just thinking of nerve damage or something bizarre like that. I dont really have a clue (isnt that obvious! lol) It just feels so dead and its been gradually getting better and better before this.

so why do they tell you to ice for 10 mins then ?? is it just cus they know youll be bored after that!
and why does my icepack recommend I wrap it in a cloth before applying it to the injury (which just makes it less cold!!!)

frost bite..that's why... surface tissue damage

The Jake · 06-13-2007, 07:28 PM

Surface tissue damage, basically frost burn. Happens to me usually coz I'm too dumb to wrap a wet towel around my icepack.

Sounds like you could have a bruised bone. It happens.

- J.

Manistoner · 06-13-2007, 11:40 PM

i pitch, so im constantly iceing my arm. ive fallen alseep overnight for 7 hours with ice on a few times and its always ok in a few hours after waking up. i think i got frostbite because i got some wierd scars on my bicep, but functionaly, my arm is fine.

i researched a while ago to find out what happens if you leave ice on too long, and websites were saying that you can do nerve damage, but i think the ice will melt or go warm before its on long enough to do permenent damage.