This form of treatment is excellent for pain, swelling, and stiffness of the hands and feet. Please speak to a healthcare professional before following the advice below.
What is a contrast bath?
Contrast bath therapy, also known as ‘hot/cold immersion therapy’, is a form of treatment where a limb (arm, leg, hand, or foot) is placed in warm water followed by the immediate placing of the limb in ice water. This is repeated several times, alternating between hot and cold.
This treatment is excellent for treating pain and swelling.
Instructions
- Take two buckets or washing-up bowls, fill one with ice cold water and the other with water at the temperature of a good hot bath (the hot and cold temperature needs to be manageable – everyone has different tolerance levels). Have a supply of hot water nearby for topping up.
- Place your hand/foot in the warm water first, aiming to keep it in the water for one minute. Perform the exercises on the next page while your hand/foot is in the water.
- When your hand/foot is warm and pink, plunge it in to the cold water until your skin reaches the temperature of the cold water – try to keep it in the water for one minute. Repeat the procedure 10 times in all, finishing with warm water.
- Dry your hand/foot with a towel.
- Contrast baths should be taken at least each night and morning, but every two hours if your pain and swelling are bad. Please follow the advice of your clinician.
Exercises
These exercise should be done in the following order.
1. Make strong up and down movements, bending your whole hand and wrist joint, or whole foot and ankle joint.
2. Make strong inward and outward twisting movements of your whole hand/foot.
3. Make strong up and down and spreading movements of your fingers/toes, particularly on curling your fingers/toes downwards as if picking up a marble.
Please note: before getting up in the morning, help relieve overnight stiffness in your limb by doing these exercises in bed, but do them gently – you are only warming up!
Avoid the following for the first three days
- Heat such as hot water bottles and heat pads
- Alcohol as this will increase bleeding and swelling
- Running or any exercise
- Massage as this may increase bleeding and swelling
If your pain increases or swelling gets worse, return to your GP for advice.
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