Cryotherapy: The Icy Magic for Sports Injury Recovery
GUANGZHOU LONGEST MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Health Life Longest Care
1. Understanding Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is a treatment approach for sports injuries.? Various methods such as ice packs, ice towels, ice massage, gel packs, refrigerant gases and inflatable splints can be used. Now there has been a new method called hyperbaric gaseous cryotherapy that uses carbon dioxide gas to induce a cooling effect on the injured area. It is an established method when treating acute soft tissue injuries and reduces pain effectively in the postoperative period after reconstructive surgery of the joints[1]. The principle of this method is to rapidly lower the temperature of the tissue and reduce the inflammatory response caused by acute injury[2], thereby accelerating the recovery of muscle damage, and promoting the recovery of sports performance[3]. Sports medicine doctors and physical therapists typically use cryotherapy to lower tissue temperature after injury, with the aim of reliving pain, reducing inflammation, and relaxing muscles.
?
2. Benefits of hyperbaric gaseous cryotherapy in Sports Injury Treatment
1.1? Pain Relief and Inflammation Reduction
Carbon dioxide gas cryotherapy is highly effective in reducing pain and inflammation commonly associated with sports injuries. When applied to the injured area, the cold temperature induced by carbon dioxide gas constricts blood vessels. This constriction not only reduces blood flow to the injured site but also helps to limit the release of inflammatory mediators[2]. Inflammation is a natural response to injury, but excessive inflammation can cause pain and delay the healing process. By reducing inflammation, carbon dioxide gas cryotherapy can provide significant pain relief. For example, in the treatment of an acute lateral ankle sprain, Carbon dioxide gas cryotherapy is used to treat the injured area, bringing the skin to 4°C for 2 minutes, with eight treatments over four weeks(three treatments per week for two weeks, followed by one treatment per week for two weeks). Results suggest that Carbon dioxide gas cryotherapy was effective in improving functional recovery, pain, oedema, and ankle dorsiflexion ROM, similar to the effects of traditional cold therapy[3].
?
1.2 Accelerated Healing Process
Carbon dioxide gas cryotherapy can also speed up the healing of injured tissues. The cold temperature stimulates the body's natural healing mechanisms. It reduces metabolic activity in the injured area, which conserves energy and resources for the healing process. The cryotherapy is best for muscle soreness and neuromuscular recovery[4-5].
1.3 Compared with traditional cold therapy
3. Our Product： Cryotherapy Device LGT-2410S
领英推荐
?
References
[1]Crystal NJ, Townson DH, Cook SB, LaRoche DP. Effect of cryotherapy on muscle recovery and inflammation following a bout of damaging exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2013;113:2577–2586
[2]Schaser KD, Disch AC, Stover JF, Lauffer A, Bail HJ, Mittlmeier T. Prolonged superficial local cryotherapy attenuates microcirculatory impairment, regional inflammation, and muscle necrosis after closed soft tissue injury in rats. Am J Sports Med . 2007;35:93–102.
[3]Tittley J, Hébert LJ, Roy JS. Should ice application be replaced with neurocryostimulation for the treatment of acute lateral ankle sprains? A randomized clinical trial. J Foot Ankle Res. 2020 Dec 1;13(1):69.
[4]Costello JT, Baker PRA, Minett GM, Bieuzen F, Stewart IB, Bleakley C. Whole-body cryotherapy (extreme cold air exposure) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2015(9):CD010789.
[5]Kawashima M, Nagata I, Terada E, Tamari A, Kurauchi M, Sakuraya T, Sonomura T, Oyanagi E, Yano H, Peake JM, Arakawa T. Frequent Icing Stimulates Skeletal Muscle Regeneration Following Injury With Necrosis in a Small Fraction of Myofibers in Rats. J Histochem Cytochem. 2024 Aug-Sep;72(8-9):569-584.
[6]Wang ZR, Ni GX. Is it time to put traditional cold therapy in rehabilitation of soft-tissue injuries out to pasture? World J Clin Cases. 2021 Jun 16;9(17):4116-4122.
[7]Mourot L, Cluzeau C, Regnard J. Physiological assessment of a gaseous cryotherapy device: thermal effects and changes in cardiovascular autonomic control. Ann Readapt Med Phys. 2007:50(4): 209–17.
?
?
?
?
?
?
?