Heat Therapy
Heat therapy is applied using preheated hot
packs to the body part being treated. Heat is generally
used to increase blood flow to the area. It is helpful for
reducing pain, decreasing muscle spasm and warming up the
tissues prior to stretching.
Cold Therapy
Cold therapy is usually applied using some
form of ice or a gel cold pack. Cold therapy is used in
the acute phase of an injury to decrease blood flow, prevent
swelling and decrease pain. It may also be used to control
chronic swelling and decrease chronic pain associated with
chronic conditions such as arthritis.
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