Treating Injuries The Way They Deserve: When It's Best to Use Heat, When It's Best to Use Ice

A new injury sustained in Zumba class, for instance, should get the ice treatment. Archive photo.

#$%@&!!!!!!!!!!! You've just twisted your ankle trying to perfect the Side Salsa in Zumba class or threw your shoulder out during that tennis match in pursuit of a 99-mph serve.

Quick, what to do? Should you add heat or ice?

In this scenario, Scott Lynch would probably recommend icing. “Elevation is probably the most important thing because it limits the amount of blood flow to the area and the amount of swelling,” he says.

The good doctor, director of sports medicine at Pennsylvania’s Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, recommends that cocktail popularly known RICE (rest, ice, compress, elevation) after an injury.

Serena Williams, who tweeted this photo, iced her swollen ankle after her loss to Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in January 2013. However, the 21-time Grand Slam singles titles winner probably added some heat after the swelling went down and before she returned to the practice court, likely followed by more icing. Photo by Serena Williams.

Cold temperatures applied to an injury help narrow blood vessels. This prevents bottlenecking (accumulation) of blood and the swelling that results, delaying healing.

SL and a colleague, Cayce Onks, family and sports medicine physician at Penn State Hershey, both recommend using ice for 20 minutes, once an hour only to prevent other problems such as frostbite or damage to the skin.

Both are contributors to the center's The Medical Minute. It is a weekly digest of helpful health news that draws on the expertise of Penn State Hershey’s faculty, physicians and staff. (http://www.news.psu.edu/tag/medical-minute)

Icy Hot and other similar heat products do provide temporary relief from chronic pains. Archive photo.

Icing an injury for the first 48 to 72 hours after it occurs, CO adds, can also reduce the amount of secondary tissue damage, as well as help decrease pain.

As to the form that ice should take, CO suggests special freezer packs or that old go-to, a homemade ice bag. “You can mold it around the injury and get more coverage,” he says.

“You also have to keep in mind that because of the chemicals in freezer packs, they can get much colder than ice and you could cause temperature-related skin problems.”

Meanwhile, athletes may be good role models for when to apply heat. Those with chronic pain and/or old injuries tend to opt for heat before they engage in physical activity and ice afterward.

“Heat typically brings blood flow to the area, which provides nutrients that the tissues need for healing,” asserts CO. “It can also increase the flexibility of tendons and muscles.”

Good heat sources are moist heat, ultrasound, heating pads and corn packs. Though CO says heating pads and the Icy Hots of the world don’t provide the depth of heat of the humidity-rich, deeply penetrating moist heat and the ultrasound, they do provide some temporary relief.

A simple ice bag can do the job of reducing swelling. Archive photo.

“A lot of it just depends on what feels good with chronic injuries,” CO admits. “It’s one of those things where some people get relief from heat and some from ice.”

He admonishes, however: “Though with acute injuries, you would want to stick with ice.”

MBFW Day 6: Serena Tucks Another Win Under Her Belt; Shy Zang Toi Is Dragged Back to Face the Music; Concept Korea Takes It to the Street …

From the Serena Williams Signature Collection by HSN. Photos by Bebeto Matthew/AP.

HEADS UP: It's early September and that means one important thing in the ragtrade: fashion trade shows. To that end, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York Spring 2015. As we at VEVLYN'S PEN endeavor to bring some interesting fashion news to our dear readers, we don't mind changing with the seasons. One small tweak this season, each day one (perhaps two) designers/labels will be singled out for particular notice. That will be the main story (in more than 50 words). Elsewhere, our commentary will remain unchanged. We will continue to put emphasis on the truly inspirational on the runway and will only do a “best of” when it suits in 50 words or less. On some days we will provide a “snapshot” and so on. Finally, we will continue to do the off-runway bizarre, unusual and generally noteworthy. Thank you for your support!

Serena Williams poses with models backstage after her fashion show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York. Photo by Yours Truly.

Day 6
(SOME of the players at the tents and elsewhere: AZEDE JEAN-PIERRE, CYNTHIA ROWLEY, J. CREW, BADGLEY MISCHKA, DIESEL BLACK GOLD, ICB, ISABELLA ROSE TAYLOR BY BELLE, JENNY PACKHAM, JURJIS JARVIS, MARC BY MARC JACOBS, MM6 MATHIEU MARTIN MARGIELA, NAEEM KHAN, NARCISO RODRIGUEZ, NOON BY NOOR, PAMELLA ROLAND, RODARTE, SERENA WILLIAMS SIGNATURE COLLECTION BY HSN, SOPHIA THEALLET, TIMO WEILAND, TORY BURCH, VALENTINA KOVA, VERA WANG, ZANG TOI)

SHE wanted a collection that is immediately wearable; clothes that can be taken off the models and placed on mere mortals who could then go about their business.

Serena Williams closes her show with a plus-size model. Photo by Yours Truly.

On that score, Serena Williams hits an ace in her debut at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York. The Serena Williams Signature Collection by HSN is a capsule collection of ready-to-wear casual clothes.

Spring-Summer 2015 is heavy on black and gray with navy, pink and purple popping up occasionally. It is competent, wearable. Tooling around clothes that can also fit in at many offices, the night club and numerous other venues. Nothing earth-shattering like 18 tennis grand slam singles titles spaced over 15 years. These are pieces – go-to clothing – that are utterly accessible to the mass market that the tennis champ and businesswoman is targeting.

Serena Williams with Kenya Moore after her show. Photo by Yours Truly.

It is not yet clear where else one can cop those gray and black animal-print leggings or leatheresque A-line black miniskirt, but they will be available on HSN.

Meanwhile, one has the nagging suspicion that most of the enthusiastic witnesses to SW's fashion week debut are unaware that this is not her first fashion line ever. It is her first fashion week line ever. SW has been doing brisk business on HSN for a spell now.

With her days on the court winding down, it can be surmised that SW is slowly transitioning to another of her passions: fashion. No doubt, she will be accommodated.

Model hair, styled to perfection with salon-quality products from Olivia Garden (http://www.oliviagarden.com). Photo courtesy of Olivia Garden.

And if there was any doubt about the seriousness of this venture, one need not have looked any further than the front row where Anna Wintour took herself off to. It is only fitting that when the queen of the tennis court makes a serious foray into fashion that the queen of fashion deign to give her public blessing, as it were.

Also on the front row is galpal and vanquished 2014 U.S. Open opponent Caroline Wozniacki and home state girl, Kenya Moore, former Miss USA and current rabbble-rouser on the “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”

Kenya Moore liked what she saw on the Serena Williams runway. Photo by Yours Truly.

The show closer is a pièce de résistance: a black dress with zipper on the front, an asymmetrical collar and chiffon sleeves. It is sexy and looks comfortable. Further, it is remarkable because it is worn by a plus-side model, a woman with a figure similar to – though not nearly as toned and honed – the designer's.

“I loved it,” gushes KM not surprisingly of the dress and her buddy's entire collection backstage after the show, her first of fashion week. “She's done a great job, like she does with everything.”

SNAPSHOT: ZANG TOI
CARMEN Marc Valvo is not the only designer this season celebrating 25 years in the ragtrade. Take a bow, Zang Toi. ZT, who produces evening wear with mastery and elegance, is a perennial hit at fashion week. He is also a very humble and shy man.

It is no surprise, then, that he is very reluctant to accept the adoration that is his due after his spectacular show, in three parts. In fact, he is downright persistent in not facing the praise; gripping the hand of one of his models, seemingly for dear life, he is fleeing backstage.

Just as persistent, however, is photog wrangler Richard Renda. He sets off in pursuit, literally pulling the Malaysian designer and muse back onto the runway to be serenaded by the crowd, and to blow the candle on a chocolate (or opera) cake. So very American like ZT's show, “A Privileged Life: The American Dream.”

Wrote RR on his Facebook wall about the Zang Surprise: “Life and all its powers chose the way this would come together. Everyone in the house was on the edge of their seat in anticipation or standing and cheering as we all came together as one big family and had a Magical Moment give new means to the word 'spontaneous'.

Wait, i take that back! I think EVERYONE was standing, clapping, and cheering in anticipation of will Destiny be fulfilled. The Moment of – this is Unbelievable!"

CONCEPT KOREA
From Spring-Summer 2015 collection of Concept Korea designers Beyond Closet (left) and Resurrection. Photos by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.

YOURS Truly concurs with stylegeister Phillip Bloch about the Concept Korea collective show: “It is edgy, real fashion, the type of clothes that people wear. The kind of stuff you see in London.”

On deck today, Day 7: ADRIAN ALICEA, ANNA SUI, BIBHU MOHAPATRA, THE BLONDS, B MICHAEL AMERICA COUTURE, BOSS WOMEN, CLOVER CANYON, DELPOZO, ELIZABETH AND JAMES, ELLE RUNWAY COLLECTION BY KOHL'S, ERIN FETHERSTON, FLUX HAWAII, HANLEY MELLON, JEREMY SCOTT, JOANNA MASTROIANNI, LUAR ZEPOL, MARIA KE FISHERMAN, MAURICIO ALPIZAR/A. BERRETTS, MICHAEL KORS, NEWBARK, ORGANIC BY JOHN PATRICK, OSKLEN, PATRICIA MORALES, PROENZA SCHOULER, REED KRAKOFF, RICARDO SECO, STEVEN ALAN, TRADEMARK

Visit http://www.mbfashionweek.com/new-york to learn more about Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, including show information and videos.

Gabby Is Taking That Smile All the Way …!

Gabby Douglas appears solo on the front of the Kellogg's Corn Flakes cereal box, as well as with her U.S. Olympic Fierce Five teammates. Photo courtesy of Kellogg's.

UNDOUBTEDLY, for most Americans one of the highlights of the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games will be Gabrielle “Gabby” Douglas’ gold medal wins, particularly in the all-around gymnastics competition.

Many have remarked that she’s the first black to win the all-around. Is it really so exceptional? Not really. GD's achievement is extraordinary because she's an extraordinary gymnast, not because she is black. She achieved nothing that other black girls potentially can not if they put in the time, effort and make the other necessary sacrifices. After all, blacks do not have a genetic defect that has made it impossible for them to win gold medals in the all-around. The defect lies in the paucity of blacks in the sport.

Logically, the greater the number of black gymnasts, the greater the likelihood of black gold medal gymnasts. To put a fine point on it, blacks have been MIA in the medal count, not because they lack the ability to win them but because they are grossly under-represented in the sport.

Anyway, Yours Truly will always remember GD’s accomplishment because it happened on 2 Aug., a very special day on my calendar. (See video below from Team USA of GB’s routines from the Olympic trials ).

Alexandr Vinokourov crossing the finish line after the men's road cycling race. Photo courtesy of AP.

With the Olympics coming to an end today, I am already growing nostalgic. Other personal highlights are Serena Williams crushing Maria Sharapova to take the gold medal in singles tennis, then winning another gold with sister, Venus, in doubles for the third-consecutive Olympics. It was gratifying to witness 38-year-old Kazakh Alexandr Vinokourov – a retiree after the Games and dismissed as an also-ran – take the Olympic gold in the men’s road cycling race. Ditto for Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings, like the Williams sisters, doing a threepeat in their sport, beach volleyball.

One of the most incredible stories of the Games has been that of South African track star Oscar Pistorius. He became the first double-amputee to compete in the Games when he ran on prosthetic legs in the first heat of the men’s 400-meter race. While he made the semifinals, he did not qualify for the finals. Notwithstanding that result, his achievement is no less remarkable. His example can potentially inspire amputees everywhere, particularly young men and women who serve their countries and return home broken in both mind and body.

Of all the wonderful stories from these Games, GD's will be with me for some time, not only because of the date it took place but also because of the massively unnecessary bimbo interruptions. Seriously, folks? I won’t belabor the issue. No doubt, everyone has heard, unless s/he has been buried deep under a rock. Of course, it is all nonsense and born of envy, self-hatred, sheer stupidity and a need for intensive psycho-analysis. VEVLYN’S PEN writer at-large Daralyn Jay put it nicely, “Gabby needs to go on national TV and tell all the hair-haters to kiss her gold medals!”

Gabby can do much more than give her detractors a piece of her mind. Sponsors such as P&G and Kellogg’s are lining up to give the young Virginian sky, moon and stars. She looks like a million bucks on the Kellogg’s Corn Flakes cereal box and she will be performing many dates during the 2012 Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions starting next month. With the Games behind her, GB's next big trial is getting her driver’s license. Reportedly, she wants an Acura NSX Roadster — "just like the one in 'The Avengers'." Will Acura soon be knocking at her door?

Indeed, Gabby can do much more to answer her critics. She can take that gazillion-dollar smile straight to the bank. Truly ... success is the best revenge.