And if All That Exercise Gives You a Strain

Yes, some aches and pains and even some injuries can occur when exercise is a regular part of your daily or weekly regiment.

Here are a few tips about when to apply heat or cold should something unfortunate occur.

When to use ice or heat depends on when (how long ago) the injury occurred.

Use ice for the first 24 to 48 hours after an injury, depending upon how severe it is. Yes, the worse the injury, the more hours you should apply cold treatments.

Apply ice for 20 minutes and then remove it for 20 minutes, and then repeat. Do not apply ice directly to the skin. Put a thin towel over the skin for protection.

Or try this method of applying cold. Freeze a paper cup full of water, tear off the top rim and move the ice over the injury. (Or, try this advice from a Chiropractor friend of the Watson's: "A bag of frozen peas works wonderfully, just don't eat them later.")

Use heat 20 minutes at a time, waiting at least 24 hours after a minor injury or 48 hours after a more serious injury to begin applying it. Place a heat pack directly on the injured area. Do not add pressure and do not apply to broken skin.

Of course, there will be some personal differences for each individual regarding how the body response to cold and heat. Use the information above as a guideline and you'll soon determine how much time for cold and heat works best for you.

Adapted from Bottom Line Tomorrow, Carl W. Nissen, M.D.