There is quite a lot of confusion over what’s better: heat or icing for sore muscles.

The rule of thumb is that ice is best for an new injury – a freshly sprained ankle, for example. The cold relieves the effect of inflammation.

After around three days, alternating hot and cold will encourage blood flow to the area – so swapping between 20 minutes of ice and 20 minutes of heat is your best bet.

For an ongoing ache, heat will sooth the muscles, aiding relaxation – so hot water bottles and warm baths are on the menu.

And yes, the hot water bottle and cover pictured is still for sale…