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Temperature variation of the quadriceps femoris muscle exposed to two forms of cryotherapy by means of thermography

INTRODUCTION: Cryotherapy is any form of therapeutic application of cold which decreases the temperature of tissues. OBJECTIVE: To compare the variations in surface temperature of the quadriceps muscle at three different times when exposed to two forms of cryotherapy: ice bags or bags containing a mixture of ice and water. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 18 subjects, aged between 18 and 25 years, of both sexes. In each volunteer, ice cryotherapy on the left thigh and a mixture of ice and water on the right thigh was simultaneously applied for 15 minutes to the quadriceps femoris region. The temperature was measured by a thermograph and the following moments were recorded : before cryotherapy, immediately and 5 and 30 minutes after removal of the modality of cryotherapy. RESULTS: Both cryotherapy methods were effective to decrease the temperature of the quadriceps and the mixture of ice and water was able to induce a lower temperature compared to the modality which used ice only. The cooling for both modalities lasted for at least 15 minutes after the removal of ice and surface temperature had been restored at pre application 30 minutes after removal. CONCLUSION: Both methods promoted a reduction in temperature that lasted at least 15 minutes, and 30 minutes after the withdrawal the temperature was reestablished to normal levels. However, the mixture of ice and water produced cooling more remarkable than the ice alone.

cryotherapy; thermography; cooling agents


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