1297  Cold therapy

Date: Wed, 21 May 2003 03:00:16 -0700
From: Sergio <Cachafaz@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject: Fw: Cold therapy

What does Cold Do? What is Cryotherapy?
Feet frequently have anatomical deformities that can be congenital or acquired (weak arches, bunions, flat foot, fallen transversal arches at =
the ball of the foot, etc). These deformities cause injuries to the soft tissues (muscles, tendons, adipose tissue, skin) when there is intense =
use or overuse of the feet. The feet are formed by bones, ligaments that keep the bones together, muscles that allow us to move the toes, =
ankles, to walk, tendons that connect the muscles to the bones, adipose tissue that is a fat padding under the skin and finally the skin.

Injuries and deformities are also caused by poorly fitted shoes.

These injuries cause inflammation of the tissues above described. Inflammation in turn has several symptoms such as redness, swelling, =
increase in temperature, pain.

Inflammation is then caused by injury, an important component of this pathological process is dilatation of the blood vessels, and escape of =
fluids and cells into the tissues. The cells release substances that increase the inflammation.

* Cold acts by preventing dilatation of the blood vessels, it causes those vessels to narrow, to constrict, this causes great benefit by =
decreasing the passage of fluids into the tissue and reversing the inflammatory process.

* Cold causes some degree of anesthesia, as the nerve endings do not work well when exposed to it this greatly decreases pain.

**Cold applied to the affected area, decreases the flow of fluid into the tissues and slows the release of chemicals that cause pain and =
inflammation. It also decreases feeling in an area by reducing the ability of the nerve endings to conduct impulses.

Cold also decreases the activity of cells that increase swelling and internal bleeding at the site of acute injury. Cooling the deep tissue =
also reduces muscle spasm that causes pain.

However, cold therapy (cryotherapy) is not for everyone. Cryotherapy should not be used on persons who:


1.. have circulation problems. It could cause severe injury due to lack of circulation. Diabetics, people with severe arteriosclerosis of =
the extremities.
2.. are unconscious. They cannot stop the cold injury as they have no feeling.
3.. are unable to respond or cannot feel cold (for example- someone after a stroke or with a neuropathy; or who has paralysis of a limb) =
people with neuropathy have "paresthesias" or "funny" feeling such as coldness, pin and needle sensation, decrease or lack of sensation, etc. =
Neuropathy is common in diabetics and alcoholics.
4.. are allergic to cold (yes, some people develop a rash and blisters to cold) .

What are the types of Cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy can be as simple as using a few ice cubes wrapped in a towel and applied to your skin, or can be as advanced as a microchip =
controlled personal cooling unit. Each type has its benefits and limitations.

Ice bags - This technique uses simple bags such as a plastic bag.

Technique- Dry the area first. Apply a dry cloth towel over the area to prevent direct contact of the ice to the skin. Apply your choice of cold =
to the area for no more than 20 minutes. The skin will pass through four stages of sensation in 10-15 minutes. These sensations in order are: 1.) =
Cold 2.) Burning 3.) Aching 4.) Numbness ** Cold therapy should be stopped once the skin feels numb.

Ice massage is another form of this technique. Place clean tap water into a foam cup and place in your freezer until it is completely frozen. =
Peel back a small amount of the top of the cup and massage this onto area of pain using constant circular motion. DO NOT hold the ice in one =
area for more than 3 minutes since this may cause frostbite. ** Cold therapy should be stopped once the skin feels numb.

Deep your feet in ice cold water.