♥ Best heat treatment with safe compresses ♥ 

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Overview:

Pain and soreness after an intense workout are inevitable. While some people experience mild pain, others may suffer from severe symptoms. Delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, is the most common cause of muscle soreness after exercise. Some researchers believe it’s the result of lactic acid accumulation; however, recent studies have discredited this theory.

Regardless, there is sufficient evidence that thermotherapy can help people with pain after working out. More specifically, we will be talking about the use of hot compresses in treating muscle pain triggered by exertion.

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How do hot compresses work

Hot compresses improve blood flow to a specific area due to the high temperature. The heat can help soothe the muscles and alleviate stiffness. Using the principles of thermotherapy, hot compresses can be very effective in addressing post-exertional soreness. Thermotherapy is a technique used by physical therapists to accelerate biochemical reactions at the site of injury.

If you want to learn more about the ins and outs of how thermotherapy works, check out this article.

Applying hot compresses

Using cold therapy requires limiting your exposure to the cold source. This is because low temperatures can damage your skin if you apply it for too long. However, hot compresses need to be used for a good amount of time to give you the desired results.

After an intense workout, you should apply the hot compresses for 15 to 20 minutes to relieve your symptoms. This is the case of minor stiffness.

However, if your pain is moderate or severe, you should increase this duration. Optimally, you would apply hot compresses for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

We know this can be daunting when the pain is localized in different areas of the body. Therefore, you can help yourself with a hot bath.

When shouldn’t you use hot compresses?

While hot compresses are quite safe, there are some situations when they should be used with caution. For instance, if you are about to apply a hot compress to an area and you notice bruising or swelling, it may not be the best option. Instead, opt for cold compresses.

Obviously, hot compresses should not be used on an area with an open wound. This could increase the risk of some serious infections.

Finally, some medical conditions may increase the risk of burns and infections after applying hot compresses. These include:

Atopic dermatitis

Diabetes mellitus

Vascular disorders

Multiple sclerosis

Deep vein thrombosis

There are some conditions with not very clear-cut recommendations. For instance, if you are pregnant or have heart disease/chronic blood hypertension, ask your doctor about the safety of thermotherapy.

Takeaway message

Hot compresses are a great way to relieve muscle soreness and stiffness after an intense workout.

We hope that this article helped you understand the value of using hot compresses in the management of post-exertional pain.

References

Is Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness Linked to Lactic Acid?

DOMS Mechanism and Prevention Application in Physical Education and Training

A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Optimal Time of Thermotherapy for Reducing Pain, Anxiety, and Side Effects in Patients with Arteriovenous Fistula Puncture: Ultrasound: Do Sources Agree?

Do sources agree on the contraindications for therapeutic ultrasound and superficial heat?