Have a nagging achilles injury. Have been doing regular icing at work. Did a really dumb thing today. Got caught up in work and left it on my achilles/heel too long. Now I have what looks and feels like a burn on my heel. It is red, slightly swollen, and stings like a burn. (I know, I know, 15-20 min limit, wrap in a towel, etc., put that aside for a minute).
I realize it could be frostbite, but, does not seem that painful (just stings), the skin never felt “firm” or “icy,” it doesn’t appear to be raised or blistering, it is not turning black, blue, or yellow, and I do not seem to have any loss of sensation in the area.
not too big of a deal. But hear this, if you injure your ITB, be VERY VERY careful with the skin on the outside of the knee, it is rerally thin, I have over iced there and the skin has actually frozen solid, not cool.
Been there done that. I ended up a with a blister (like from hiking) and put moleskin on it for a few days so I could walk and run. Its easy to frostbite that area, compared top the calf or knee or elsewhere.
Thank you for all the replies. Glad to hear I am not the only one who has had this happen. Figured it wasn’t too severe, but, it stings and, b/c it on my heel, walking is pretty awkward and painful.
I’ve accidentially frozen the skin on my kneecap a time or two. It’s been red for a few days, but it’s never peeled or blistered. It just resolves itself over the course of a couple days.
Burned my heel the same way. How long did you take to heal? Mine is red.I still have good sensation and no blistering 36 hours later. Hurts to walk on it though.
definitely learned a lesson about ice packs…
wow, i did not realize the date… thanks. so 48 hours or so . sounds like a sunburn pattern
Yep. It pretty much behaved just like a sunburn. But, it was “tingling” along with burning. It did not seem like it was slowly getting better. Instead, it was there, then it just went away.
Ice tends to burn me too. As does 10 mins in the sun.
My solution is that I take a mud boot that I bought at Lowe’s. Fill it half full of cool water. Put my foot in it. Then add ice. Treats the entire foot, Achilles and calf.
Ice tends to burn me too. As does 10 mins in the sun.
My solution is that I take a mud boot that I bought at Lowe’s. Fill it half full of cool water. Put my foot in it. Then add ice. Treats the entire foot, Achilles and calf.
That is brilliant. I have used a large bucket, but, that is a great idea.
I froze the skin over my left shin while icing shin splints. Same scenario as you, I got caught up doing something else and forgot all about it, but to make matters worse I had the ice pack directly against the skin too. When I finally pulled the ice pack off, the skin was a nasty white color and hard as wood. I lost feeling in the area for a good long time, the skin eventually peeled off and regrew, but I had no feeling for a good few months. When the feeling started to come back it was a tingling sensation, which last a month or two, then all was fine.
On the positive side, that was the last time I had shin splints. But I wouldn’t recommend that treatment method!
Ice tends to burn me too. As does 10 mins in the sun.
My solution is that I take a mud boot that I bought at Lowe’s. Fill it half full of cool water. Put my foot in it. Then add ice. Treats the entire foot, Achilles and calf.
That is brilliant. I have used a large bucket, but, that is a great idea.
+1. I am gonna add that to my rehab repertoire for PF and Achilles issues. Thanks for the idea!!
Have a nagging achilles injury. Have been doing regular icing at work. Did a really dumb thing today. Got caught up in work and left it on my achilles/heel too long. Now I have what looks and feels like a burn on my heel. It is red, slightly swollen, and stings like a burn. (I know, I know, 15-20 min limit, wrap in a towel, etc., put that aside for a minute).
I realize it could be frostbite, but, does not seem that painful (just stings), the skin never felt “firm” or “icy,” it doesn’t appear to be raised or blistering, it is not turning black, blue, or yellow, and I do not seem to have any loss of sensation in the area.
Anyone else done this? Ideas on on treatment?
Tis only a flesh wound. You can safely ice your skin to that point. In the early stages of frostbite, your skin will turn white and start to freeze. That is not what you want.
I’ve did this accidentally a few times over the years–mostly on my calves, but once or twice on and around my knees. These times the normal skin color did not return quickly, but instead was replaced by brown bruises that went away over the course of a year or so.
