“I have a strain in my back after playing hockey. Should I try warm water therapy to ease it?”
I was playing hockey the other day, and now I have a strain in my back. What can I do to ease the strain? I have a friend who does warm water therapy for her arthritis pain. Do you think that this can help me?
11 Answers
It should make you feel better but won't cure injury
Yes. Alternate between heat and ice. Topical anti-inflammatory creams can help. Take ibuprofen/naproxen with food for 7-10 days. If not improving get evaluated by Orthopedics/Sports Medicine doctor.
For a muscle strain I think that warm water therapy such as a warm whirlpool is a good symptomatic treatment. The goal of treatment for a strain is simply to moderate the pain while the tissue heals and to avoid further injury. Alternating heat and cold usually is effective. But the key is time and prevention of further injury.
Warm water therapy may help ease the pain but it won't affect the actual healing process. If it feels better that's fine and you can do it. Muscle strains usually require time and rehabilitation exercises to help them heal. You can follow up with a sports medicine physician and a physical therapist for help with the rehab exercises.
Get a good evaluation and exam. Following that, a proper assessment can be made to best guide your decision making. Sounds like you are trying to avoid the ice at this time. After the proper evaluation, a good overall plan can be developed.
Best regards,
Dr. Doug Duncan, MD
Best regards,
Dr. Doug Duncan, MD
Could aquatic therapy help you…..YES. However, it should be a focused treatment sessions and to get the most out of the sessions seek out a PT in your area for a consultation to customize your program. Best of Luck to you
Warm water should help for sure. Also, try PT if your pain continues.
Yes, warm water to help stretch and loosen muscles. May use ice after stretching if painful. Alternate applying warm moist heat before range of motion/stretching and may ice after flexibility exercises if sore.
Mark Burt, M.D.
Mark Burt, M.D.
I tend to recommend ice therapy after the acute onset of a back strain. And in combination with rest and the short-term use anti-inflammatory meds, symptoms usually can be controlled. Of course there no widespread agreement on the use of heat therapy vs. cold therapy. The benefits of heat therapy is a soothing resolution of the pain and an increased blood flow to the injured area. This may promote healing but may also create swelling and increased aching pain. So if you choose to use heat, put some ice on it afterwards to decrease the swelling and aching pain.
You can try taking soaking baths and hot showers but it will really only be a short term effect if any. Low back pain and arthritic joint pain are apples to oranges. You should make sure you go to physical therapy with a manual therapist that will mobilize and manipulate your back in addition to giving you the appropriate exercise to strengthen the muscles that are not pulling their weight.
For just about any injury...ice it for 3 days, then you can use heat if it still hurts.
