INJURIES: Ice doesn’t work, but wheatgrass extract does

Initially, the swelling was very tense and blue, but when the photo on the right was taken two hours later, it had already softened and the dark purple-blue discoloration was no longer present When I re-examined him the next morning, the swelling had disappeared leaving only a reddish kick mark.

This rapid recovery was nothing new to the club’s trainer who had already knew that healing rates for soft tissue injuries such as muscular and groin strains, abrasions, blisters etc. had increased by at least 30 percent compared with using ice.

But how could such a large, tense, hematoma (bruise) “disappear” overnight? It would normally take several days for the bruise to flatten, let alone erase bruising around the point of contact.

This incident taught me to use wheatgrass as a first-aid application not only for sports injuries, but for pre-and post-operative wound treatment, falls in the elderly and many other injuries.

I now wince every time I see ice being used to treat soft tissue injuries because cooling with ice does not stop bleeding under the skin, from the nose or from deeper tissues. In fact, it SLOWS the healing process by reducing blood flow to the injured areas.

Also, a study by the Cleveland Clinic in the US demonstrated that ice slows the release of a key healing substance, Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF1). This factor, an important mediator of growth hormone that helps initiate tissue repair, actually slows the healing process.

To summarise, because ice inhibits and slows repair of injured muscles and other tissues it should be avoided.

The same rule should apply to the treatment of second degree burns because wheatgrass extract is by far the best way to achieve rapid recovery and pain relief. [See burns]

Armed with this information, famed American sports injury specialist, Dr. Gabe Mirkin, who formulated the RICE acronym many years ago – (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) now avoids the “Ice” component!

Swelling, pain, bleeding etc. simply should not be treated with ice, ethyl chloride spray or other coolants. Although they may numb the skin and perhaps relieve pain a little, they do nothing to assist or hasten soft tissue injury recovery.

Perhaps “something needs to be seen to be done” - but if icing SLOWS the healing process, why do it at all? Many cultures use warm water compresses successfully for treating injuries simply because this aids blood circulation which accelerates recovery.

Any kind of injury can cause tissue damage. Blood vessels rupture and blood spreads into surrounding tissues causing swelling and pain. Pressure build-up eventually reduces blood flow to muscle, nerve and other tissues which does nothing to assist tissue recovery.

Having worked in sports injuries as a doctor, I know that wheatgrass extract applied particularly to the legs prior to and after a competition, will not only relax muscles but also accelerate recovery of soft tissue injuries.

How does it work?

I don’t know for sure, but it appears that ligands in the extract, bind to cellular receptors that then notify the presence of injury to the brain. The brain then responds appropriately to stop bleeding, ease pain and repair the damage.

How else could a large hematoma disappear overnight?

I have found that the sooner wheatgrass extract is applied over the injured area, the sooner the deep and/or surface bleeding ceases and the skin and underlying tissue heals.

Bloody noses, open wounds, bruises, sprained ankles, cuts, scratches, abrasions and deep tissue injuries such as corked, torn or pulled muscles all respond to wheatgrass extract treatment.

Finally, a summary of 22 scientific articles found almost no evidence that ice and compression hastened healing over the use of compression alone, although ice plus exercise may marginally help to heal ankle sprains (The American Journal of Sports Medicine, January, 2004;32(1):251-261).

Wheatgrass can do a better job, faster.