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Cooling efficiency of 4 common cryotherapeutic agents
Jane Kennet1, Natalie Hardaker, Sarah Hobbs
1University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, UK.
Journal of Athletic Training
|December 7, 2007
Summary
Crushed ice (CI) and ice-water immersion (WI) offer superior cooling efficiency for soft tissue injuries compared to gel packs (GP) and frozen peas (FP). These cryotherapy methods provide sustained temperature reduction, suggesting greater clinical benefit.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Physiology
- Therapeutic Modalities
Background:
- Cryotherapy, the application of cold, is a widely accepted treatment for soft tissue injuries.
- The optimal cryotherapeutic agent for maximizing cooling efficiency remains undetermined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the cooling efficiency of four common cryotherapy agents: crushed ice (CI), gel pack (GP), frozen peas (FP), and ice-water immersion (WI).
- To identify the most effective cryotherapeutic agent following a 20-minute application period.
Main Methods:
- A repeated-measures design was employed in a university physiology laboratory setting.
- Nine healthy volunteers underwent a 20-minute application of each cryotherapeutic agent to their right ankle.
- Skin surface temperature was recorded using a thermal imaging camera during application and a subsequent 30-minute rewarming period.
Main Results:
- Crushed ice (CI) application resulted in a significantly greater reduction in skin surface temperature (19.56 ± 3.78°C) compared to gel packs (GP) (13.19 ± 5.07°C) and frozen peas (FP) (14.59 ± 4.22°C).
- Both crushed ice (CI) and ice-water immersion (WI) demonstrated significantly greater cooling efficiency than gel packs (GP) and frozen peas (FP).
Conclusions:
- Crushed ice (CI) and ice-water immersion (WI) exhibited the highest cooling efficiency among the tested agents.
- These methods sustained reduced skin surface temperatures post-application, indicating their potential for greater clinical benefit in managing soft tissue injuries.
