Effects of Acute Cryotherapy on Musculoskeletal Function and Biomarkers for Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Muscle Damage
University of Texas, El Paso
Summary
In 2020, Dubois and Esculier proposed a paradigm shift in the acute management of musculoskeletal injuries, advocating for the transition from the traditional PRICE protocol- Protect, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation-to the more holistic PEACE \& LOVE framework. This updated model emphasizes Protection, Elevation, Avoiding anti-inflammatories, Compression, and Education, followed by Load, Optimism, Vascularization, and Exercise. Notably, the PEACE \& LOVE approach omits the use of ice, a decision that has sparked considerable debate. While the rationale centers on avoiding interference with the natural inflammatory and regenerative processes, this omission stands in contrast to a substantial body of animal research suggesting that cryotherapy can mitigate secondary tissue injury by reducing inflammation and metabolic activity. Despite its widespread clinical use, human studies have yet to provide conclusive evidence supporting or refuting the efficacy of cryotherapy in acute injury management, leaving clinicians to navigate between tradition, emerging evidence, and evolving philosophies of care. Even though it is important to consider natural inflammation for a better regenerative process, animal models have shown that the original injury can elicit oxidative stress, which will enhance cellular damage (secondary damage) and inflammation. Clinically, it is unknown if this secondary damage would increase functional impairment. Therefore, this proposal will determine if cryotherapy can decrease secondary damage, after exercise-induced muscle damage, and if this decrease is associated to lower inflammation, oxidative stress and functional impairments.
Description
This study is a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial with 3 independent groups. One group (control-control or CON-CON) will not exercise and will not have any cryotherapy intervention, a second group (control or CON) will exercise but use a "room temperature" cold-pack, and the cryotherapy group (CRYO) will exercise and receive a cold cold-pack every day for 15-min. We anticipate to compare means in several markers (functional and in blood) using a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA, time x condition) where time is before, and 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 264 hours after exercise (6…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * apparently healthy * normotensive * non-smokers (all tobacco products including e-cigarettes) Exclusion Criteria: * Cardiovascular diseases (including hypertension) * pregnancy * any musculoskeletal injury 6 months prior the study
Interventions
- OtherCryotherapy
A cold (-5°C) cold-pack for 15 minutes every 24 hours for 5 days
- OtherEccentric exercise-induced muscle damage
3 sets of 15 repetitions of eccentric contractions at 80% of 1RM. This is to induced a controlled muscle damage in 2 of the 3 arms.
Location
- The University of Texas at El Paso, Rehabilitation Sciences ComplexEl Paso, Texas