leak over to nearby tissues. This causes swelling and inflammation.
Once the ice is applied to the injury, the swelling and inflammation will calm as the cold temperature shrinks those broken blood vessels, vasoconstriction. It is most commonly seen within the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate). Cryotherapy can be used as a stimulant, as it takes the body away from homeostasis with an extreme temperature change. It can be used for burn management, as an anesthetic to numb, and as an analgesic.
Thermotherapy actually works in the opposite way, causing vasodilation, or the widening of blood vessels. The increased size of the blood vessels means an increase in blood circulation and an inpouring of oxygen and nutrients to the injury site. The presence of heat can also cause the muscle tissue to lengthen, which is awesome for stretching.
Like Cryotherapy, thermotherapy can also be used as an analgesic and stimulant. But heat can also cause the pores to open up, making it a diaphoretic, and can cause muscles to relax, making it a sedative.
You May Also Like
So we now know that cryotherapy and thermotherapy are used under varying circumstances, but it is also important to consider how these therapies are applied. Something as simple as an ice pack on your ankle for 15-20 minutes is considered cryotherapy, but so is standing in a -264 degree Fahrenheit Cryotherapy Chamber for three minutes.
Both utilize cold temperatures, but will each result in different benefits. The localized ice pack is good for
