References associated with the Physio First Patient Information Leaflet, Recent Injuries
There seems to be no high-quality evidence for how long to apply ice and how often with an acute soft tissue injury (Ref 1,2). A systematic review did suggest that intermittent 10 minute ice treatments are most effective at cooling injured animal and healthy human tissue (Ref 3). Bleakley (Ref 4) discusses one of his take home messages that shorter and more intermittent times are effective. Prof Tim Watson (personal reference) would support these opinions with suggestions that short cold treatments (less than 10 mins) cause a reduction in blood flow and those treatments longer than 10 mins increase blood flow and that it seems logical to try and mimic the physiological activity.
Reference 1 = Bleakley C, McDonough S, MacAuley D. The Use of Ice in the Treatment of Acute Soft Tissue Injury: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials. Am J Sports Med 2004;32(1):251-61
Ref 2 = Hubbard T, Aronson S, Denegar C. Does Cryotherapy Hasten Return to Participation? Asystemative review. J Athletic Training 2004, 39: 88-94
Ref 3 = McAuley DC. Ice therapy:How Good is the Evidence? Int J Sports Med 2001: 22(5): 379-84
Ref 4 = Cryotherapy – Where is the Evidence? Bleakley C, 2006 Seminar presentation
Web site: www.electrotherapy.org