Is there efficacy for the physiological basis of cryotherapy or is it simply medical folk law?
Item
- Title
- Is there efficacy for the physiological basis of cryotherapy or is it simply medical folk law?
- Author(s)
- Garner, D
- Abstract
- Introduction: In light of the recent paradigm shift toward evidence based practice approach, therapeutic intervention is being evermore questioned. Cryotherapy - along with other age old modalities - therefore must establish justification primarily through controlled studies and physiological rationale, rather than relying on passed down empirical acceptance. In the following review key concepts behind a cooling protocol will be questioned for their application, ideology and physiological rationale. It is hoped the outcome of this review will arm the clinician with an increased sense of guidance, combining a contemporary evidence based approach with the benefits and limitations for cryotherapy as a therapeutic modality. Method: The following review of the literature will primarily consist of references from peer reviewed articles that have been published within the last 10 years; for a much broader approach, earlier research will also be included detailing more historic roots to construct opinion. A number of search engines where utilised, including: Science direct; PubMed; Google scholar; SwetsWise and NHS evidence. Key terms searched included: cryotherapy, ice, thermotherapy, cooling, hypothermia, inflammation, second cell injury, leukocytes, cold induced analgesia, pain, inflammatory mediators, adipose, conduction velocity and nerves which will be applied using Boolean logic. Books published on physiology, rehabilitation and cryotherapy will also be utilized for reference. Results: Evidence suggests that cryotherapy is an effective modality with partly understood physiological processes for interfering with the inflammatory process after contusion, immune function, promoting vasoconstriction, reducing oedema, reducing arthogenic muscular inhibition, reducing nerve conduction velocity and reduce short term pain. There is also a growing body of evidence that states interfering with these physiological processes may also act to increase wound healing time and lead to poorer tissue regeneration after acute injury. Discussion: Research has shown that cryotherapy can interfere with many physiological processes after injury; what has not yet been fully elucidated, is whether the risk benefit ratio of interfering with homeostatic mechanisms is more beneficial than the potential negative effects it may cause. Conclusion: Further research is required to fully elucidate the risk benefit relationship between partially blocking a physiological inflammatory response, reducing perceived pain and increasing longevity of injury via a cooling protocol.
- presented at
- European School of Osteopathy
- Date Accepted
- 2013
- Date Submitted
- 20.1.2015 16:42:58
- Type
- osteo_thesis
- Language
- English
- Submitted by:
- 62
- Pub-Identifier
- 15449
- Inst-Identifier
- 1229
- Keywords
- Cryotherapy.
- Recommended
- 0
- Item sets
- Thesis
Garner, D, “Is there efficacy for the physiological basis of cryotherapy or is it simply medical folk law?”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 17, 2024, https://www.osteopathicresearch.com/s/orw/item/715