Explained
Heat Therapy
In short
Heat therapy applies warmth to increase local blood flow, relax muscle and reduce stiffness. It suits chronic stiffness and muscle spasm, and should be avoided on a fresh injury that is swollen, hot or inflamed.
Applying warmth increases local blood flow, reduces muscle tone and makes tissue more extensible. It is simple, cheap and — used at the right time — genuinely useful.
When heat is the right choice
- Chronic muscle tightness and spasm
- Joint stiffness, particularly morning stiffness in arthritis
- Before stretching or exercise, to make movement easier
- Long-standing aching in the back or neck
When it is not
Avoid heat on a fresh injury that is swollen, hot or actively inflamed, in the first 48 to 72 hours. Heat increases blood flow and can increase swelling at that stage.
Heat or ice?
Broadly: ice for a new, swollen, angry injury; heat for stiffness, spasm and long-standing ache. If unsure, whichever feels better is generally a reasonable guide for a chronic problem — the difference in outcome between the two is smaller than the internet suggests.
Practical points
Fifteen to twenty minutes is enough. Always place a towel between a hot pack and the skin. Do not sleep on a heating pad. Contact burns from hot water bottles are common and entirely avoidable.
When to avoid it altogether
Areas of reduced sensation, poor circulation, open wounds, active infection, or over an area that is already red and hot.
Is this right for you?
Whether a technique helps depends on your diagnosis. An assessment tells you what will actually work for your problem.
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