Effects of ice packs on tissue temperatures at various depths before and after quadriceps hematoma: studies using...

A standard form of ice pack was applied to the shaved lateral surface of the thighs of anesthetized sheep and temperatures of the underlying tissues were measured by thermocouples inserted to various depths down to 4 cm as well as on the skin surface. An ice pack was applied for a single 20 minute period followed, in some sheep, by a second application 20 minutes later. This procedure was repeated a week later, immediately after physical trauma had been applied to the same area of the thigh. Temperature changes were depth dependent; after a single treatment, temperatures rose rapidly at first but after 2 hours did not regain pretreatment values; during a second application, the temperatures of the deep tissues continued to fall whereas the superficial tissue fell again to similar values as on the first application; temperatures did not fall as much after trauma and this was attributed to an increase in blood flow through the tissues. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1986;8(6):294-300.