No Swell Techniques

Swelling occurs when an area of our body is injured, muscle tissue is damaged and blood rushes to the area to begin the recovery process. This onslaught of blood creates the inflammation. It is the body's natural way of healing; however, the slow blood flow in the area may lead to complications. It is best to try to reduce the amount of swelling after injury.

Immediacy

• Start treating the injured area immediately. Swelling occurs instantaneously after injury, so you must begin preventive measures as soon as possible.

Ice

• Apply ice or an icepack to the area. Put a cloth around the ice, as it will irritate your skin if applied directly. Apply ice for 20 minutes, and then remove the ice and allow the area to rest for 20 minutes. Repeat this as often as possible. Ice will slow the amount of blood traveling to the affected area, thus reducing the amount of initial swelling. The goal is not to halt blood flow, but to reduce it, which is why the 20-minutes-on, 20-minutes-off rule is good practice.

Positioning

• Elevate the injured area. This means sitting or lying in such a way that the injured area is physically above the heart. This can be done by putting a leg up on a pillow or resting an arm on several cushions while sitting. This forces blood to be pumped up to the area rather than simply gushing down to it.

Heat

• Apply heat to the injured area after 24 hours. Heat will increase blood movement, which is why you do not want to apply heat immediately after injury. After 24 hours your body will be finishing up the recovery stage and beginning the healing stage. The heat will facilitate this process by helping to remove all stagnant blood in the area, and the swelling will go with it.