How do I ice my injury?

A lot of patients ask about how to ice an injury. There are two ways to ice an injury. The first is the traditional use of a cold pack, a bag of peas, or a compression device. Typically this is 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off, being careful not to burn the skin with the cold icepack. The second is the use of an ice cup. Often a Styrofoam or Dixie cup is filled with water and placed in the freezer. Once it is hard, remove the top of the ice cup. Hold the base of it over the injured area for five minutes . This will typically freeze it enough to provide some relief.