Effectiveness of Salted Ice Bag Versus Cryocompression on Decreasing Intramuscular and Skin Temperature

in Journal of Sport Rehabilitation

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Jennifer Ostrowski
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Angelina Purchio
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Maria Beck
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JoLynn Leisinger
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/jsr.2017-0173
Keywords:
cryotherapy; GameReady; PowerPlay
In Print:
Volume 28: Issue 2
Page Range:
120–125
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Context: Rest, ice, compression, and elevation are commonly recommended immediately after injury. Traditionally, ice bag (IB) with elastic wrap compression has been utilized; however, recently intermittent cryocompression units are being used. Limited research has evaluated tissue temperature decreases with intermittent cryocompression units. Objective: Evaluate magnitude of muscle and skin cooling. Design: Repeated-measures counterbalanced study. Setting: University research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Twelve healthy college-aged participants (4 males and 8 females; age = 23.08 [1.93] y; height = 171.66 [9.47] cm; mass = 73.67 [13.46] kg; subcutaneous thickness = 0.90 [0.35] cm) without compromised circulation or injury. Intervention(s): Salted IB, GameReady (GR), and PowerPlay-ice bag (PP-ice) were applied to the posterior aspect of the nondominant calf for 30 minutes; participants underwent each treatment in counterbalanced order. Main Outcome Measure(s): Muscle temperature measured via 21-gauge catheter thermocouple; skin temperature measured via a surface thermocouple. Temperatures were recorded at baseline and during a 30-minute treatment. Correlations were evaluated between muscle and skin temperatures. Results: Nonsignificant treatment × time interaction and nonsignificant main effect of treatment for intramuscular cooling. Mean Decrease From Baseline: IB, 6.4°C (±2.8); GR, 5.4°C (±1.1); PP-ice, 4.8°C (±2.8). Nonsignificant treatment × time interaction for skin cooling (F20,200 = 1.440, P = .65, ηp2=.346, and observed β = 0.773), but significant main effect for treatment (F10,100 = 5.279, P = .03, ηp2=.883, and observed β = 1.00). Mean Decrease From Baseline: IB, 17.0°C; GR, 16.4°C; PP-ice, 14.6°C. No significant correlation between intramuscular and skin temperatures in any condition at any time point. No significant correlation between adipose tissue thickness and maximum temperature decrease with any modality. Conclusions: Salted IB with elastic wrap compression, GR, and PP-ice produced equivalent intramuscular temperature decreases during the treatment period.

Ostrowski is Director of the Doctor of Athletic Training Program, Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA, Purchio, Beck, and Leisinger are with Weber State University, Ogden, UT.

Ostrowski (ostrowskij@moravian.edu) is corresponding author.
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