Telehealth Physical Therapy

Welcome to the Next Installment of the Newsletter!!

This month’s feature is: Use of Heat and Cold

Heat modalities you can use at home include (to name a few):

• Heating pads that plug into a wall
• Moist heat
• Bath, jacuzzi, hot tub, sauna
• Rice/corn packs that warm up in the microwave
• Warm climate/outside temperatures

Cold modalities you can use at home include (to name a few):

• Gel packs
• Plastic bags filled with ice
• Ice massage
• Ice bath
• Cold climate/outside temperatures

Watch my latest video about heat and cold to find out more:

Things to remember about heat and cold:

• Chemical rubs like icy hot, biofreeze, and salonpas are GREAT but are no exchange for actual heat or cold. They may feel good but they wont replace a heating pad or bag of ice when you need it.
• Use plenty of layers – heat can burn you and ice can give you frostbite.
• Don’t fall asleep with your choice modality in place – it could potentially increased your risk of burn especially if the heat is plugged into the wall and if you use a gel ice pack, the gel does not warm up at a typical rate that ice melts so you are also at risk of frost bite. 
• When deciding which to use, I typically suggest heat when you are sore and achy (ex: think arthritis pain) and ice when you are in a lot of pain and inflamed (ex: think ankle sprain with lots of swelling).

Hope this helps everyone! Send me a message to request an appointment if you find yourself still struggling on your own!

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Heal today, transform tomorrow.  Unlock your potential to heal, learn and grow. 

Dr Barb Wally Online Physical Therapy.