Basic Contrast Bath for Sprains and Other Injuries

An effective method of speeding healing to an injured or sore area is a Contrast Bath. It's easiest to implement for hand and foot injuries, but for those with an imagination, it can be used most anywhere.

The concept behind the Contrast Bath is simple: By alternating icing and heating, you create a pumping action that will first expel damaged tissue, then flush the injured area with oxygen, nutrients, and the natural chemicals the body uses to heal itself. A good three pumps usually does the trick.

Contrast baths have been shown to work in cases of swelling, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, poor circulation, and reduced range-of-motion. For athletes, it’s one of the quickest ways to get back into the action.

Contrast Bath Recipe
Set aside 20 minutes, preferably at the beginning and end of the day.

Have a clock or timer at the ready. 

For a hand injury, you will need two bowls that will fit your whole hand.

For a foot injury, you will need two buckets or something equivalent that will fit your whole foot. 

Fill one of the containers with cold water and ice cubes: Not too much ice or it will hurt; not too little ice or it won’t be cold enough. Every ‘body’ responds differently to temperatures, so choose the coldest temperature you can tolerate for up to 1 minute.

Fill the other container with water as hot as you can stand it without burning you.

1. COLD: submerse the injured hand or foot into the ice water bath for up to 1 minute
2. HOT: transfer the injured hand or foot to the hot water for 4-5 minutes
3. REPEAT steps 1 & 2
4. REPEAT steps 1 & 2 (yes, again)
5. If reducing pain is important, end with the COLD step. Icing reduces pain and swelling, but does not promote full healing, long term, so only end with icing if pain or swelling is a significant issue.

Contraindications: Do not use a contrast bath if… 

• The injury is acute and less than 72 hours old
• The injury is moderate and less than 48 hours old 
• There is broken skin at the site of injury
• You are at risk for limb vasospasm or ischemia

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Originally published March, 2010. Latest update date is at top.