CRYOTHERAPY
What is Cryotherapy
By definition
Cryotherapy is the local or general use of
low temperatures in medical therapy or the
removal of heat from a body part
Cryotherapy facts
Cold therapy is one of the most
popular methods when it
comes to the first aid treatment
of some injuries
Cryotherapy Facts
Nowadays, local cold application may be
applied by the use of various forms of ice
or frozen gel packs,
Often skin temperature is reduced to 10
C°.
Physical Principles
When ice is applied to the skin heat is conducted
from the skin to the ice in order to melt it.
Physical Principles
The ice requires considerable energy, to
rise the temperature of 1 g of ice at 0°C to
1 g of water at 37°C requires 491 J.
Whereas to rise 1 g of water at 0°C to
37°C requires only 115J
Physical Principles
Consequently when trying to cool tissues it
is important to use ice during treatment
and not just cold water
Physiological Effects of
Cold Application
Physiologica
Circulatory
l effects of
Response
Cryothrapy
Excitatory
Neural Cold
response Mechanism
Question
What is Excitatory Cold Mechanism?
Excitatory Cold Mechanism
When cold is applied in an appropriate
way on the skin, it increase the
excitatory bias around the anterior horn
cell
Excitatory Cold Mechanism
This can often produce contraction of an
inhibited muscle (only with intact
peripheral nerve supply).
Excitatory Cold Mechanism
This effect can be used when muscle
are inhibited postoperatively or in the
later stages of regeneration of a mixed
peripheral nerve
Circulatory Response
The initial skin reaction to cooling is an
attempt to preserve heat. It is
accomplished by an initial
vasoconstriction. This haemostatic
response has the effect of cooling of the
body part
Circulatory Response
After a short period of time
vasodilatation follows with alternating
periods of constriction and dilatation this
is called the
“Lewis’s Hunting Reaction”.
Circulatory Response
During the vasodilatation, the
arteriovenous anastomosis is closed,
thus causing an increase blood flow
through the capillaries. This is beneficial
in the treatment of swelling and tissue
damage
Neural response
The skin contains primary thermal
receptors.
Cold receptors are several times more
numerous than warm receptors
Neural response
The rate of conduction of nerve fibers in
a mixed (motor and sensory) peripheral
nerve is reduced by cooling.
Question
Does ice therapy application cause motor
nerve paralysis?
Indications
Provide
Promote
excitatory
repair of
Muscle Spasticity stimulus
Pain Swelling. the
spasm. . to
damaged
inhibited
tissues.
muscles.
Contraindications
Peripheral Peripheral
Cardiac Psychologi Vasospasti Cold
Nerve Vascular
Conditions cal: c Disease Sensitivity
Injuries Disease
Immersion
Techniques of Application of
Techniques of Application of Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy
The way which ice is applied will vary according to the
required effects.
It may be applied in the following ways:
Ice Packs
Commercial Cold packs
Immersion
Ice cube massage
Techniques of Application of
Cryotherapy
Excitatory cold ( quick ice)
Ice spray
Ice packs
There are many kinds of chemical cold packs
available for first aid kits, To make an ice pack
with items from home, you'll need:
ice
a sealable plastic bag
a towel or pillow case
Ice packs
Never place ice directly on skin. Ice can
cause frostbite if left on skin for very long.
Regardless what you put between the ice
and the victim's skin, do not leave the ice
on the skin longer than 20 minutes
Ice packs
Commercial Cold packs
Commercial Cold packs
These are basically plastic bags filled with
a mixture of water and some substance
silica gels are the most common
Wet towel should be placed between the
skin and the pack to avoid excessive
cooling
Immersion
immersion involves placing the part to be
treated in water ranging in temperature
from cool to icy.
Appropriate for treatment of an extremity
or large body areas
Immersion
Cold water immersion is ideally used
following a heavy weights session,
between training sessions or after muscle
injury resulting in soreness or bruising
Immersion
Immersion
Example
1 minute plunge- (try to relax as much a
possible),
2 minutes out of water (air temperature) ,
Repeat 5 times.
When very brave, 5 minutes straight
Ice cube massage
Used for two distinct reasons
1. counter-irritant action
2. Muscle stimulation
Ice cube massage
For the relive of pain ice block is moved
over the part using a slow circular
massage
For neurological facilitation the ice should
be applied only briefly
Evaporating sprays
Spraying a rapidly evaporating liquid on
the skin has the effects of cooling the
surface.
The liquid is sprayed on to the area to be
cooled in a series of short strokes of 5 s
each
Evaporating sprays
The nozzle of the spray is
held about 45 cm from the
skin.
Cooling from such sprays
not lasts very long
