The post on Mobility WOD is titled People, We’ve Got to Stop Icing. We Were Wrong, Sooo Wrong. Wait, what? I’ve been an ice advocate, and did a bit of a double take when I saw this. The video’s long, discussing the lymphatic system, inflammation and the healing process, and it makes sense. The suggestion that ice (though not as bad) has a negative impact on the body’s natural healing process similar to NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen) is not new. In college, under the direction of an athletic trainer, I had success using a machine to induce muscle contraction around an injury, like the one mentioned in the post.
At the same time though, I’ve had positive recovery results with icing, contrast showers, and cold tubs. Using these cooling methods obviously makes sense for reducing core temperature, and can act as pain relief, but are they now a no-go for injuries?
In case you can’t tell, I’m torn, but open to the idea that ice isn’t the best answer. I’d really like to know what all of you think. Have you iced regularly and seen positive change? Do you have experience with electrical muscle stimulation? Check out MWOD, and please post your thoughts to comments.
Strength:
Low Bar Back Squat 3-3-3-3-3
21-15-9
No Rebound Box Jumps (30″/24″), Step down from the box before beginning the next rep. No rebounding.
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I read the MWOD post. I’m a big fan of KStar and would like to thank him one day for fixing all my mobility problems and completely changing the way I think about injury.
But from a medical science viewpoint, the evidence he presents against icing is a long, long way from convincing. I’m not saying he’s wrong — he has helped a lot more people with sports injuries than I ever will. But looking at the evidence he cites point by point:
1) “Seriously, do you honestly believe that your body’s natural inflammatory response is a mistake?”
— Mistake is a strong word, but our inflammatory response to injury is often pathological. The body tends to form a lot more scar tissue than we actually need. We see this ALL the time as surgeons. So there is a very strong case for limiting the body’s inflammatory response by intervening in some fashion. You would never want to get rid of it entirely, but it’s incorrect to say that the body knows exactly what to do in all circumstances.
2) The use of Cryotherapy in Sports Injuries,’ Sports Medicine, Vol. 3. pp. 398-414, 1986
— This quote doesn’t tell us anything useful. The terms are vague: “prolonged period” (how long exactly?). “increased lymphatic permeability” (how long does this increased permeability last?) “potentially contributing to…” (meaning that we don’t actually know)
3) The comprehensive literature review from the Journal of Emergency Medicine
— Only 2 useful human studies, neither of which came to a useful conclusion. The best we can deduce is that icing isn’t SUPER helpful. We can’t say that icing is harmful based on any human studies to date.
/end soapbox
LBBS: 93kg
WOD: 8:09 @55kg
Box jumps without jumping off of the box are weird. Since I don’t have too much faith in my clean, I felt that 55kg was perfect for this. Great work 6am!
Luckily I haven’t had to ice recently, but while in high school it was something I would regularly do after being hit by a pitch or spraining an ankle. It seemed to work in reduction of swelling and pain, but I don’t remember much beyond that. Looking forward to what other people have to say.
LBBS: 70kg
WOD: 8:30 at 40kg. Also a good choice on the weight, because per usual, I underestimated the combo of box jumps and cleans.
I’ve had my fair share of nagging running injuries, almost entirely related to my IT band. My remedies included ultrasound therapy, visits to the chiropractor, foam rolling, stretching and lots of icing — all of which seemed to help get the inflammation down. For ultra sore muscles, I’m a huge fan of tiger balm — it’s like icy hot on steroids.
LBBS: 100Kg
WOD: 10:30 @ 40kg – Should have gone heavier. Lost time to cutting my finger on the box requiring a stop for a band aid. This is the second time I just flail my hands around. Trying to keep the box blood free today.
For one of my several recent injuries I was prescribed physical therapy where I got to use an electric muscle stimulation machine on my shoulder in combination with heat therapy. I think my favorite part of it was that they told me keep making the electrical pulses higher as I got used to it. So it kind of became a game for me to see how much electrical stimulation I could build up to and stand during the 12 minute clock.
There were a few times I would show up straight from the gym, so they didn’t bother having me use the machine since I was already warmed up, and as my shoulder got better they skipped it altogether and just had me warm up on an erg.
AMRAP 12
E-stim
The fact that I can make the strength of electrical currents running through my body into a game is both awesome and disturbing.
LBBS: 70 kg
WOD: 8:23 with 35 kg and a 20 inch box with a 10 kg plate.
LBBS: 80KG (did 90 for 2 but did not get all the way down for 3)
WOD: 11:37 @ 40KG
On a personal note I’ve seen huge improvements in my running since starting crossfit, without actually having to run at all. I have a loop I’ve done since before crossfit and have seen my times drop over the last year:
5/06/2011 3.20 Miles – 31:37
5/11/2011 3.24 Miles – 32:20
12/22/2011 3.12 Miles – 29:07
8/20/2012 3.31 Miles – 25:39
Looking forward to starting the Endurance program soon!
Also, if you get a chance check out Rajon Rondo’s box jump:
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2012/08/video_rajon_ron_3.html
That box jump is sick.
LBBS – 72kg
WOD – 7:54 @ 40kg
LBBS: 90kg (sketchy depth at 95kg, but next time that PR is mine)
WOD: 8:58 @ 50kg (i usually use my arms to clean but focused on jumping and shrugging–going light was the right call for this. thanks erika!).
LBBS – 161kg (had to top the 160 mark I set last time with 3 reps, if only by 1!)
WOD – 6:57 Rx The cleans went well, stepping down from 30″ was tricky although it seemed to go quicker toward the end.
I watched the video on Mobility WOD and I have to say that it all makes perfect sense. Many things in life are complicated simply by the fact that SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, thinks we need to do SOMETHING about SOMETHING. I’ve always held the belief that the body is its best physician. As with many things that the CrossFit community is on the cutting edge of, diet, exercise, now medicine, the common thread is that the western thought process of “problem solving” is, in fact, complicating, if not causing, the problems. What the advances in Western medicine do give us that are of great use is the ability to monitor. Wait and see isn’t always a bad idea. The former statement I think applies quite well to the diabetic not having his foot amputated.
LBBS: 85 kg
WOD: 8:48 @ 45 kg Those box jumps were just a whole new animal after the power cleans.
LBBS: 120 KG – got no repped by coach at 130 for sketchy depth.
WOD: 6:53 RX
LBBS: 85kg
WOD: 7:14 @ 45kg, 24″ box jumps. The 30″ box scares me… I should work on that.
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