why putting ice bags on sore muscles helps with pain and/or preventing inflammation?
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Could not find a “health” flair… I hope this one is ok.
The pain is from the build up of lactic acid in the muscles. The cold flushes out the acid and constricts the flow of blood, slowing down inflammation and allowing the muscle to repair.
Swelling/inflammation is caused by the body moving fluid and white blood cells to the injured area. Ice causes blood vessels to constrict (vasoconstriction), thus reducing blood flow to the area, meaning it won’t become as swollen/inflamed.
Ice will cause your blood vessels to get smaller so that things won’t travel out of your blood vessels and into other parts of your body (causing swelling).
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