Cryotherapy – A call for further research

Abstract

Cryotherapy is a common component of acute and sub-acute therapy in certain settings, but the use of cryotherapy is controversial and not well understood. The theory for cryotherapy use in an acute setting centers on decreasing secondary injury and thus total tissue damage. Opponents of this therapy cite a lack of evidence to support the use of cryotherapy and that cryotherapy delays the inflammatory processes. Neither argument has conclusive evidence to support their claims. The data to substantiate or refute the use of cryotherapy exists in the various settings that use cryotherapy on a daily basis and needs to be collected, analyzed, and discussed.