Dynamic Postural-Stability Deficits After Cryotherapy to the Ankle Joint
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Updated: Apr 5, 2026
Evaluating Postural Control and Lower-extremity Muscle Activation in Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability
Published on: September 18, 2020
Karl Fullam1,2, Brian Caulfield1,2,3, Garrett F Coughlan4
1School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Population Science.
Context:
Decreased postural stability is a primary risk factor for lower limb musculoskeletal injuries. During athletic competitions, cryotherapy may be applied during short breaks in play or during half-time; however, its effects on postural stability remain unclear.
Objective:
To investigate the acute effects of a 15-minute ankle-joint cryotherapy application on dynamic postural stability.
Design:
Controlled laboratory study.
Setting:
University biomechanics laboratory.
Patients Or Other Participants:
A total of 29 elite-level collegiate male field-sport athletes (age = 20.8 ± 1.12 years, height = 1.80 ± 0.06 m, mass = 81.89 ± 8.59 kg) participated.
Intervention(S):
Participants were tested on the anterior (ANT), posterolateral (PL), and posteromedial (PM) reach directions of the Star Excursion Balance Test before and after a 15-minute ankle-joint cryotherapy application.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Normalized reach distances; sagittal-plane kinematics of the hip, knee, and ankle joints; and associated mean velocity of the center-of-pressure path during performance of the ANT, PL, and PM reach directions of the Star Excursion Balance Test.
Results:
We observed a decrease in reach-distance scores for the ANT, PL, and PM reach directions from precryotherapy to postcryotherapy (P < .05). No differences were observed in hip-, knee-, or ankle-joint sagittal-plane kinematics (P > .05). We noted a decrease in mean velocity of the center-of-pressure path from precryotherapy to postcryotherapy (P < .05) in all reach directions.
Conclusions:
Dynamic postural stability was adversely affected immediately after cryotherapy to the ankle joint.
