Cryotherapy and Joint Biomechanics During Running

Cryotherapy or cold therapy has widely been used as a treatment modality in both acute and chronic injuries. It is believe that the application of cryotherapy can help to decrease pain, muscle soreness, soft tissue swelling, and cause vasoconstriction of blood vessels reducing heat loss. The nerve conduction velocity and muscle-spindle firing rate also decreases with cryotherapy, which results in changes in proprioception acuity. Cryotherapy has also been used prior to exercise (pre-cooling) to improve endurance activities. However, given the possible detrimental effects of cryotherapy on proprioception acuity, the use of this treatment modality prior to exercise could pose an increased risk of musculoskeletal injury. The effects of cryotherapy on lower extremity biomechanics during athletic movements is poorly understood despite the wide use among physiotherapists, athletic therapists and clinicians. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation is to determine the effects of cold water immersion on lower extremity biomechanics during running. The investigators hypothesize that cryotherapy as a form of treatment can increase the load in the lower extremity joint during gait biomechanics.

Inclusion criteria

• males or females (18 - 40 yrs)
• no injuries of the lower extremity in the past 6 months prior to participation
• recreationally active
• in good health upon entry into the study
• willing to volunteer for the present project.

Exclusion criteria

• lower extremity injury within the last 6 months
• circulatory, vestibular or any contradiction to cryotherapy including Raynaud's disease