Why Icing an Injury is a Bad Idea: The Truth Behind the Myth

By: Marc Lobliner, IFBB Pro

Let’s dive into something that’s been preached for decades but needs to be called out for what it is: Icing injuries is outdated, ineffective, and possibly even harmful. You’ve heard it a million times, "RICE" (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) is the go-to method for treating injuries, but that "I" for Ice? Yeah, it’s time we let it go.

If you’re serious about recovery and optimal performance, let’s break down why icing an injury is actually a bad idea. I’m pulling from the work of Gary Reinl, author of ICED: The Illusionary Treatment Option, and a key study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) know this isn’t just some bro-science nonsense. Let’s get to the facts.

Where Did the Ice Myth Come From?

The use of ice for injury treatment has been around since the 1970s, popularized by Dr. Gabe Mirkin, who coined the term "RICE." It stood for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation, and became the gold standard for sports injuries. But here’s the twist—Dr. Mirkin himself has since publicly recanted his support for icing. In his own words, "Ice delays healing." He admitted that, while ice can reduce pain, it slows down the body's natural healing process.

Gary Reinl has taken this a step further with his book ICED: The Illusionary Treatment Option, where he flat-out debunks the myth of ice as a recovery tool. Reinl argues that icing disrupts the body’s natural inflammatory process, which is critical for healing.

What Happens When You Ice an Injury?

Let’s get into the science of what happens when you slap ice on an injury. The traditional thinking is that ice reduces inflammation and prevents swelling, but this is actually a big problem.

Inflammation is not your enemy. Inflammation is your body’s way of sending healing nutrients and immune cells to the injury site. When you apply ice, you’re slowing down this critical process. Think about it like this: if your body is trying to rush first responders to the scene of a crash, icing is like putting up roadblocks and making it harder for them to get there.

Here’s how it works:

1. Ice constricts blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the injured area. While that might sound good in theory, it actually prevents the body from sending critical nutrients and immune cells to help the damaged tissue heal.

2. Ice delays the release of IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor). IGF-1 is a key player in the muscle repair process. When you ice, you delay its release, slowing down healing.

3. Ice doesn’t prevent long-term swelling, it just masks it. Once you take the ice off, the swelling comes back, because you haven’t addressed the underlying issue—you’ve just paused it.

The Study That Proves It: The British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM)

Now let’s talk about some hard data. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine backs up what Reinl has been preaching. The research looked at the use of cryotherapy (ice treatment) and found that icing delayed the healing process in muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

The study made a few key points:

• Inflammation is essential for healing. Ice impairs this process, leading to longer recovery times.
• Cryotherapy delays recovery by interfering with the natural repair mechanisms in the body. In short, ice doesn’t promote healing—it hinders it .

If you’ve ever been taught that icing is the answer to injury recovery, this data should make you reconsider. It’s not just ineffective, it’s slowing down your recovery.

So, What Should You Do Instead of Icing?

If icing is out, what should you be doing? Here’s the thing—you don’t need to slow down inflammation, you need to manage it. Inflammation is there for a reason, and if you try to shut it down, you’re handicapping your recovery.

Instead of ice, focus on active recovery and movement. Movement pumps fluid through the lymphatic system, which helps remove waste and bring nutrients to the injured area. This is called the "muscle pump," and it’s one of the most effective ways to promote healing.

Here’s a Better Plan for Injury Recovery:

1. Active Recovery: Gentle movement helps flush out waste products while bringing in fresh nutrients. This can be as simple as small movements in the injured area to keep blood flowing.

2. Compression: Compression can help reduce excessive swelling without blocking the body’s healing response. Use it sparingly, but it can be helpful if applied correctly.

3. Elevation: Elevating the injured area can help with swelling without stopping the inflammatory process. Gravity helps reduce excess fluid buildup.

4. Nutrition: Make sure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to heal. Protein is critical for muscle repair, as are micronutrients like zinc, magnesium, and vitamin C.

5. Rest, but Smart Rest: Don’t mistake "rest" for doing nothing. Rest should mean avoiding activities that aggravate the injury, but still allowing for active recovery. Gentle mobility work and low-impact movement can help.

6. Stim Therapy: I have my athletes use the Marc Pro. It helps to move blood and nutrients and clear the injury of swelling - speeding up the healiing process. I love mine and own a few to lend to athletes I coach. Check it out at marcpro.com and use coupon code "Lobliner" if you want one.

The Psychological Impact of Icing: Why It’s Still Used

Now, why is icing still so popular despite all this research? Well, for one, it’s pain relief. Ice can numb the area and reduce immediate discomfort, which is why athletes and trainers still reach for it. But here’s the deal—you can manage pain in ways that don’t hinder recovery. Pain relief shouldn’t come at the cost of delayed healing.

There’s also a placebo effect at play. People believe ice works because that’s what they’ve always been told. If you think something is helping, you’re more likely to keep doing it—even if the science says otherwise.

Debunking the "Ice Prevents Swelling" Myth

One of the most common arguments for icing is that it helps reduce swelling. But again, swelling isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s part of the body’s inflammatory process, which is essential for healing. Swelling brings fluid into the area to protect and repair the injured tissues.

When you ice, you’re simply putting the brakes on that process. The fluid will eventually leave on its own once the body has healed the damaged tissue. So, icing to reduce swelling might make you feel better in the moment, but it’s not speeding up your recovery—it’s slowing it down.

Gary Reinl’s Take on Icing: It’s a Time Wasters' Dream

Gary Reinl is a vocal opponent of the idea that ice is a legitimate recovery tool. In ICED, he explains that ice is essentially a time-waster’s dream. It gives the illusion that you’re doing something useful, but in reality, you’re just prolonging the time it takes to heal. Reinl argues that if you’re serious about recovery, you need to abandon ice and embrace active recovery.

Reinl’s philosophy is clear: Your body knows how to heal itself. Inflammation is not the enemy—it’s part of the solution. Instead of freezing your injury into submission, work with your body’s natural healing processes. Use movement to pump blood and nutrients to the injured area, and avoid the temptation to slow everything down with ice.

Final Thoughts: Throw Away the Ice Pack

Look, I get it—using ice has been drilled into us as the right thing to do for years. But the science is clear. Icing your injury doesn’t help you heal faster, and in fact, it might be holding you back from optimal recovery.

If you’re serious about performance and recovery, it’s time to ditch the ice pack. Focus on movement, proper nutrition, and active recovery to heal faster and get back to doing what you love. Whether you’re an athlete, a weekend warrior, or just someone looking to recover quickly from an injury, this is a game-changer.

Stop freezing your recovery—start fueling it with movement and the right approach.