How come you can only use an Ice pack for no more than 20 min?
Question:
what happens if you go longer?
I dont want to screw up my knee. I completely tore my ACL and I have to ice it to make the swelling go down, so I can have surgery soon. So how come ppl told me not to ice it for more than 20 min, and the internet said the same..so why?
Answers:
There's a phenomenon called the Hunting response. After about 20 minutes of ice, the body will think that it is freezing or getting frostbite so it will send more blood to try to warm the area. This will actually increase the swelling. Also, after the area is numb, there isn't much else the ice will do. Good luck with your ACL...
You're exactly right -- the cold can damage the tissue of your skin.
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