Training & Nutrition - Topical gels or creams

Are there any good topical creams that help with inflamation and soreness? I've tried ice and it really hurts more than anything. Even 3 minutes of icepack burns and turns my skin beet red. I was wondering if any topical gels might be better for me. Thanks.

Do you put the icepack inside a dishtowel or some such?

Arnica - natural anti-inflammatory at your local natural food store.

I've heard good things about Tiger Balm but never tried it myself.

Do you put the icepack inside a dishtowel or some such?

I use an ice pack that claims to apply directly to area with no need for anything else. It's a very soft pack that freezes directly in the freezer but perhaps a thin cloth in between would help.

Lets make sure I'm icing correctly - I have been dianosed with bilateral hamstring tendonitis (that flares up from time to time) therefore the pain I get is directly in the back to the sides of my knees. Should I be icing directly where the pain is or higher up on the hamstring itself?

Thanks everyone.

oh my God. I used Tiger Balm this morning because I had a knot in my calf... I didn't bother to think about the fact that I had shaved my legs this morning. :eek:

This was the result:

http://i13.tinypic.com/52oozer.jpg


Myoflex is very good, it's an analgesic cream, and much kinder to freshly shaved skin.

Are there any good topical creams that help with inflamation and soreness? I've tried ice and it really hurts more than anything. Even 3 minutes of icepack burns and turns my skin beet red. I was wondering if any topical gels might be better for me. Thanks.

Not an answer to your question, but how's your recovery nutrition? Getting that right really helped with the soreness for me.

If you use ice itself (like cubes from the freezer), put them in a bag, and add a bit of water to it to bring the temperature down a touch. Then 10 minutes on, max. You should be able to apply that directly to the skin, but it would likely feel more comfortable with a dishtowel in between.

I have "ice packs" that are made from barley or something ... they are grainy. You put them in the freezer for the day or overnight, and then apply them directly to the skin (the barley, or whatever it is, is in a cloth bag). These "ice packs" are nowhere near as cold as ice cube ice packs but they do cool the area off quite well. You might look for these, they are less of a shock than real ice. I can leave them on for 15-20 minutes quite comfortably.

My other ice packs are gel things and they are as cold as ice cube ice packs. I need a cloth between them and me, and again, 10 minutes max.

As for where to ice, you might try 10 minutes to the back of the knee, and 10 minutes a little higher up, on the hamstring.

Not an answer to your question, but how's your recovery nutrition? Getting that right really helped with the soreness for me.

I always be sure to get well enough proper foods for recovery. I just really think I have a tendonitis issue which really upsets me . . . I think I need to take time off the bike but it is very hard to cope with that. I have considered converting my bike to a single speed with a very small gear; something at or just under 60 inches so that I don't push too hard like I like to.