Cryotherapy impairs proprioception function?

• Author(s): Cordeiro, Nuno ; Henriques, Sara
• Date: 2014
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.11/2473
• Origin: Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco
• Subject(s): Joint position sense; Proprioception; Cryotherapy
• Document Type: Conference Object
• Language: Portuguese

Description

INTRODUCTION: Cryotherapy application over a joint causes a nerve conduction velocity decrease and proprioceptive changes. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine if cryotherapy impairs proprioception acuity. METHODS: Proprioception was assessed by joint position sense (JPS), measured with an isokinetic dynamometer Biodex System 3, in twenty one females on experimental group, before 15 minutes cryotherapy (T0) and immediately after (T1). A control group (n=20) performed also the JPS, but without cryotherapy influence. In both tested instance, two angular positions were evaluated (15º and 45º of knee flexion). RESULTS: The error average was always greater in the experimental group at both angular positions, exception T0 at 15º. Between T0 and T1 and for both angular knee positions the error mean diminished for both groups, however the error reduction only was statistically significant (p=0.00) in the control group at 15º. CONCLUSION: No reduction of proprioception was found after 15 min. ice application.