Treating Snow Shoveling Injuries: Ice or Heat?

The snow has been shoveled but now some people are dealing with a new problem -- back pain.

When it comes to treating those aches and pains, doctors say use ice for the first 48-to-72 hours, followed by heat.

Applying ice to the injured area helps reduce bruising and inflammation, whereas heat can increase inflammation in acute injuries if applied too soon.

“If somebody gets injured, what happens is bleeding occurs,” said Dr. Stephen Nicholas, orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital. “If you get bruised in the muscle the muscle bleeds. Ice applied to the muscle helps to slow the bleeding down.”

Lower back pain is the most common shoveling injury. But, other muscles like the forearms and elbows can also get tight and sore. When this happens, apply the ice pack in 15 minute intervals, he said.

If the pain lasts for more than 72 hours, Nicholas said heat, particularly wet heat, can increase blood flow and relax tight muscles. Apply a heat pack or hot towel for 20-to-40 minutes.

“That helps to mobilize the blood and clear that clotted blood out of the injury so you can get your motion back quicker and recover more quickly,” Nicholas said.