The Importance of Target Tissue Depth in Cryotherapy Application

The Importance of Target Tissue Depth in Cryotherapy Application

Cryotherapy is commonly used for the immediate care of musculoskeletal injuries. Cold application following injury is theorized to decrease the metabolic demand of the injured tissues. Subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness has been demonstrated to alter intramuscular cooling time. This demonstration was based on a relative depth, half skin fold thickness +10 mm. As such, one cannot determine whether themeasured differences related to temperature transmitting more slowly through adipose tissue or because of the absolute difference in the depth of measurement. Additionally, previous research has not evaluated the role that gender may play, since females commonly have thicker skinfolds. Our purpose was to determine what had a greater influence on cooling time, adipose tissue or muscle thickness, and what role gender plays in those cooling times. We believed that adipose tissue would more greatly affect the cooling time, irrespective of gender. Treatment times associated with cryotherapy use may not be as dependent onskinfold thickness as it is on depth of the target tissue being treated.