Effects of Joint Cryotherapy on Muscle Function
PURPOSE To summarize evidence regarding efficacy of focal joint cooling on muscle function. METHODS Literature review was performed to determine effectiveness of focal joint cooling on muscle function. Therapeutic cooling, professionally termed cryotherapy, has a long history in sports medicine beca...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Korean |
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The Korean Society of Exercise Physiology
2017-02-01
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| Series: | 운동과학 |
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| Online Access: | http://www.ksep-es.org/upload/pdf/es-26-1-1.pdf |
| Summary: | PURPOSE To summarize evidence regarding efficacy of focal joint cooling on muscle function. METHODS Literature review was performed to determine effectiveness of focal joint cooling on muscle function. Therapeutic cooling, professionally termed cryotherapy, has a long history in sports medicine because it has been widely used for a variety of therapeutic purposes. However, it has been contraindicated in rehabilitation for patients with muscle dysfunction because it is believed that cryotherapy has detrimental effects on muscle function. It is clinically important to recognize that the negative outcomes may result from the common mode of cryotherapy involving the direct cooling of muscle fibers. In contrast, there is promising evidence that when cryotherapy targets joints where muscle fibers are not located, the negative effects on muscle function can be eliminated or there can even be positive effects on muscle function. RESULTS Focal joint cooling appears to be effective in increasing motor neuron activation in patients with joint pathology in the lower extremity, leading to greater muscle strength. In addition, joint cryotherapy may be capable of negating deficiencies in functional performance while it was not found to be neither beneficial nor harmful to reflexive action and postural control. CONCLUSIONS Joint cryotherapy can be a safe and effective intervention for improving muscle function, and it should be indicated for patients with persistent muscle dysfunction. |
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| ISSN: | 1226-1726 2384-0544 |