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Should I ever apply heat? (Read 1977 times)

iRunrunrun


    New to the forum so hello...

     

    I know a lot of runners apply ice after long runs. But I've never heard of applying heat. Is this ever done for tight muscles?

    Thanks!


    SMART Approach

      Heat before a run is fine! Ice after a run to reduce inflammation and enhance recovery!  In between work outs heat is ok unless you have an acute injury with inflammation! AND, when in doubt, ice is better!!!!

      Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

      Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

      Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

      www.smartapproachtraining.com

      Trent


      Good Bad & The Monkey

        I am not a big fan of heat application.

         

        (Nader is FAST)

        xor


          Heh.

           

          I almost made a comment.  di'int.

           

            I've actually found more relief from runner's knee by icing followed by heat right after a run.  I guess everybody is different.  Doesn't hurt to experiment.

              Before you try to set a rule, you'll have to understand what heat does and what ice does to our body as well as what sort of problem you have with your injury (or before it develops into an injury).  Tchuck is absolutely correct about inflamation--you do not want to heat inflamation or on-set of iinflamation.  When you're done with long run or intervals, your body is "in heat".  Your body becomes stronger by breaking down the muscle tissues and, when it grows back, it becomes stronger.  So right after the workout, it's in the breaking mode.  It's like a cancer cell; if it goes too far, it becomes an injury.  So, after a certain amount of breaking, you want to stop it (I can think of a couple of idiots on this board already thinking (ding, ding, ding); "Hey, if I heat up continuously after a workout, I can enhanse training effect by continously breaking the muscle tissue!!"  Sorry, it ain't gonna work out that way).  This is why hosing down your legs after a workout is a good idea and probably one of the best ways to avoid injuries--to cool off your legs.

               

              When you have any sort of swelling, that means either your tissues are damaged and, well, inflamed, or you have the internal bleeding.  Heating is one of the worst things you can do then because it enhanses bleeding and inflamation.  You need to cool it.  But once the injury is settled down, you want to apply heat because it enhanses blood flow that is needed to heal the damaged tissues or, if you had bleeding in the area, to break down the blood clot within the tissues and, with increased blood flow to the area, to remove the clotting.  Once the injury/swelling is settled, it is a good idea to apply heat and cold alternately; it'll work like a pump, those broken down particles of waste products and blood cots will be gushed away from the area when the blood vessels construct quickly by applying ice to the area after heating up.

               

              A rule of thumb; ice first; then once the injury is settled, apply heat.  Always keep the injured area warm when not exercising; alternate heat-cold periodically if you can.

                ... enhanse ...

                ... enhanse ...

                 

                I really wish you hadn't spelt enhance as enhanse throughout that post Wink

                Never forget the man who mistook his wife for a hat!

                Ποτέ δεν ξεχνά τον άνθρωπο που μπέρδεψε τη γυναίκα του για ένα καπέλο!

                  I really wish you hadn't spelt enhance as enhanse throughout that post Wink

                   

                  Ooops!  What does "enhanse" mean then?  Something sexual or obsene?  Hey!  It's not my language!! ;o) 

                   

                  I used to work in the lab for a cosmetic company.  This one time I was conducting a stability test for a scented candle--it is basically to see the affect of fragrance oil to a metal wick-holder (among other things).  At any rate, you should have seen the face of my boss, who happens to be a lady, when I reported her: "I think the wick-holder is getting lusty..."  You see, us Japanese have a problem with "l" and "r"...

                  WhoDatRunner


                  Will Crew for Beer

                    Good thing you don't have a problem with "d" and "w" too! Big grin

                    Rule number one of a gunfight, bring a gun. Rule number two of a gunfight, bring friends with guns.

                      Good thing you don't have a problem with "d" and "w" too! Big grin

                       HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!  So early in the morning and you've already made my day...

                        Ooops!  What does "enhanse" mean then?  Something sexual or obsene?  Hey!  It's not my language!! ;o) 

                         

                        I used to work in the lab for a cosmetic company.  This one time I was conducting a stability test for a scented candle--it is basically to see the affect of fragrance oil to a metal wick-holder (among other things).  At any rate, you should have seen the face of my boss, who happens to be a lady, when I reported her: "I think the wick-holder is getting lusty..."  You see, us Japanese have a problem with "l" and "r"...

                         

                        It means nothing, I'm just a stickler for spelling. Poor grammar I now accept, with the new generation of internet users, we've lost our grammar completely but I can't let spelling go Sad But I'll let you off, for someone who's mother tongue isn't English it's good enough for me. I'm sure I'd make more spelling mistakes if I wrote a message in the other languages I speak Wink

                        As for you lusty d**k-holders :P

                        Never forget the man who mistook his wife for a hat!

                        Ποτέ δεν ξεχνά τον άνθρωπο που μπέρδεψε τη γυναίκα του για ένα καπέλο!

                          It means nothing, I'm just a stickler for spelling [.....] But I'll let you off, for someone who's mother tongue isn't English it's good enough for me. 

                           

                          i'll just leave this here.

                            i'll just leave this here.

                             

                            That's what happens when you change your sentence. Anyway, that would be a grammatical error, not a spelling mistake Wink

                            Never forget the man who mistook his wife for a hat!

                            Ποτέ δεν ξεχνά τον άνθρωπο που μπέρδεψε τη γυναίκα του για ένα καπέλο!