Abstract
Abstract
Introduction
Cryocompression therapy after knee surgery is widely utilised for post-operative rehabilitation. Skin temperature should be reduced to 10–15°C to maximise the therapeutic benefits while avoiding risks of adverse events. Some cryocompression devices offer control over the temperature of the ice-water circulated through a cuff. The degree to which this corresponds to the achieved skin temperature during a treatment is unknown.
Methods
30 healthy participants volunteered for this prospective randomised crossover trial involving the use of a cryocompression device. Each underwent a 30-minute test in all of five conditions: A, B, C, D and Control. Conditions corresponded to device temperature settings of 6, 8, 10, 12°C and no ice-water circulation, respectively. Skin temperature was measured prior to the cuff being applied, then every 5 minutes during a test.
Results
Groups A, B, C and D significantly reduced skin temperature relative to the Control condition (p<0.05). Mean baseline skin temperatures did not significantly differ between groups. Mean skin temperatures after 30 minutes were 13.2 ± 1.9°C (Group A), 14.4 ± 1.5°C (Group B), 16.3 ± 1.8°C (Group C), 18.3 ± 1.7°C (Group D), and 30.8 ± 2.3°C (Control).
Conclusions
The cryocompression device successfully reduced the skin temperature to within the therapeutic range. However, temperature settings did not correspond to skin temperatures achieved. To optimise the therapeutic benefit of treatment with this device, the 6°C setting is recommended. (Note: these are preliminary results from on an ongoing study, comprising 72% of the final dataset. Full results will be presented at BASK 2022).
