Should you use heat or ice to loosen muscles?

Question

I play volleyball and my shoulder is often sore from hitting and serving. I use ice after practices or games. I would like to loosen up my muscles before games so should i use heat or ice?

Answer 1

both...Its good to Ice for 20 minutes then heat for 20 minutes.. The ice will numb any pain or soreness and the heat will relax the muscle.

Answer 2

Heat will loosen the muscles, that's why moderate stretching exercises work, they get the warm blood flowing into the muscles you are stretching, thus loosening them using your own body heat.

Answer 3

Immediately after the game you can use massage and apply heat , this will increase the blood circulation as well as loosen the muscle fibres and give a prolonged relief.

  Using ice is a good way of reducing pain. However it reduces the blood flow to the area so do not use ice immediately after a game.