You twist an ankle stepping off the pavement awkwardly. You pull a muscle during a gym session. Your knee connected with the sharp corner of the coffee table in the dark, causing a serious amount of pain.
For many people, the solution is almost automatic, stemming from advice that parents, coaches and medical professionals have been repeating for decades. But new research is now raising questions about whether the familiar routine of icing injuries may come with an unexpected downside.
What the researchers found about icing injuries
New research now challenges old assumptions that icing an injury is the best treatment method. The study, conducted by researchers at McGill University and published in Anesthesiology, focused on inflammatory and exercise-related injuries in mice. Researchers say these closely resemble common sprains, strains and muscle soreness experienced by humans.
While icing injuries appeared to reduce pain in the short term, researchers found it also seemed to interfere with some of the biological processes linked to healing and recovery. In most cases, their research showed that injuries treated with ice took much longer to recover, compared to those left untreated. In some cases, it more than doubled the recovery time.
Researchers believe the reason may lie in the body’s inflammatory response. Although most often viewed as something negative, inflammation also plays an important role in healing. After an injury, immune cells move into damaged tissue to help clear debris and start repair work. Suppressing that response too aggressively could potentially slow recovery.
“These results highlight a paradox: treatments that reduce inflammation and relieve pain in the short term may, in some cases, interfere with the biological processes required for full recovery,” said lead author Lucas Lima, a research associate at the Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain.
Why the findings around icing injuries matter
The findings are drawing attention because icing remains one of the most common home treatments for injuries worldwide.
For years, icing has formed part of the widely used RICE method (rest, ice, compression and elevation) recommended for everything from swollen ankles to sports injuries.
However, debate around icing is not entirely new. Dr Gabe Mirkin, the physician who originally coined the RICE approach in 1978, later acknowledged that excessive icing may delay healing by limiting inflammation, which the body relies on during recovery.
The McGill researchers also noted that earlier studies have questioned whether certain anti-inflammatory approaches, including some pain medications, may prolong recovery in some situations.
Should you stop icing injuries?
You do not necessarily have to stop icing injuries. The findings are based on animal studies and cannot yet be applied directly to humans. A clinical trial is currently underway to investigate whether similar effects are seen in people recovering from procedures such as wisdom tooth removal.
Ice may still help reduce pain and swelling in the short term, especially during the early stages of an injury. But the study adds to growing scientific discussion around whether immediately suppressing inflammation is always the best approach for long-term healing.
People with severe pain, major swelling, difficulty moving or injuries that do not improve should seek medical advice rather than relying only on home treatment.
