Ice/Hot Baths for Tendonitis Relief
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Listen to a recording of the article below being read with a discussion to follow.
This is hands down, with out a doubt, my favorite tendonitis trick.
Ice/hot baths.
I learned it years back from a coach, and the premise is simple.
• Fill a bucket, bowl, pan, etc. with ice water
• Fill a bucket, bowl, pan, etc. with hot water
• Put the injured joint in the ice water for 30-60 seconds
• Switch and put the injured joint into the hot water for 30-60 seconds
• Repeat the ice/hot baths for 20 mins total
• End on an ice soak
In my experience, this works leaps and bounds better than simply icing alone. This is because the cold to hot to cold makes the blood vessels contract and expand so it’s simultaneously reducing inflammation and flushing the area with flesh blood which aids healing.
I’ve used it to great results on my hands, wrists, forearms, and elbows. I submerge the whole chain in two turkey roasting pans.
Things to note:
1. Don’t do this if your doctor has told you to avoid such things
…or if you’re unsure if this is safe for you to do or not. If in doubt, don’t do this, and check with your doctor.
2. This technique is best use for extremities.
However, you can do a similar one with an ice pack and a heat pack. In my experience, the baths do work better, but if you hurt your hip or shoulder, you might have to settle for ice/heat packs.
3. Try to get as much of the chain as you can.
I’ve found that if any one of these is sore, its best to get the full chain submerged: hands, wrists, forearms, and elbows. I’m always amazed at how good the “non-hurt” parts feel after a treatment. It’s sort of like, “huh, I didn’t ever realize my hands were so tight, now they feel great!”
4. This is best when done after a rolling and stretching session.
How to roll out your arms.
A follow along video is in the works. Got something that aching? Email us so we can include it in the movie.
If you try it, please let us know how it worked out.
Best of luck!
❤️
Written by Sarah Dahlinger
Discussed by Sarah Dahlinger and Sarah Forde