Cryotherapy and Joint Biomechanics During Running

NCT ID: NCT01740661

Last Updated: 2014-04-16

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 26 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2012-11-30
• Study Completion Date: 2013-01-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the immediate effects of cryotherapy on the lower extremity biomechanics during running.

Detailed Description

Cryotherapy or cold therapy has widely been used as a treatment modality in both acute and chronic injuries. It is believe that the application of cryotherapy can help to decrease pain, muscle soreness, soft tissue swelling, and cause vasoconstriction of blood vessels reducing heat loss. The nerve conduction velocity and muscle-spindle firing rate also decreases with cryotherapy, which results in changes in proprioception acuity. Cryotherapy has also been used prior to exercise (pre-cooling) to improve endurance activities. However, given the possible detrimental effects of cryotherapy on proprioception acuity, the use of this treatment modality prior to exercise could pose an increased risk of musculoskeletal injury. The effects of cryotherapy on lower extremity biomechanics during athletic movements is poorly understood despite the wide use among physiotherapists, athletic therapists and clinicians. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation is to determine the effects of cold water immersion on lower extremity biomechanics during running. The investigators hypothesize that cryotherapy as a form of treatment can increase the load in the lower extremity joint during gait biomechanics.

Conditions

Musculoskeletal Injury

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Cryotherapy

The subjects will be exposed to a cold (\~ 12° C) water immersion tub at the umbilical level for 20 minutes.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Cryotherapy

Intervention Type: OTHER

The subjects will be exposed to a cold (\~ 12° C) water immersion tub at the umbilical level for 20 minutes.

Control

The subjects will be exposed to a non-cold (\~ 26° C) water immersion tub at the umbilical level for 20 minutes.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Control

Intervention Type: OTHER

The subjects will be exposed to a non-cold (\~ 26° C) water immersion tub at the umbilical level for 20 minutes.

Interventions

Cryotherapy

The subjects will be exposed to a cold (\~ 12° C) water immersion tub at the umbilical level for 20 minutes.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Control

The subjects will be exposed to a non-cold (\~ 26° C) water immersion tub at the umbilical level for 20 minutes.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• males or females (18 - 40 yrs)
• no injuries of the lower extremity in the past 6 months prior to participation
• recreationally active
• in good health upon entry into the study
• willing to volunteer for the present project.

Exclusion Criteria

• lower extremity injury within the last 6 months
• circulatory, vestibular or any contradiction to cryotherapy including Raynaud's disease

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 40 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of Calgary

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Claudiane Fukuchi

BSc, PT

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Human Performance Laboratory, University of Calgary

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Countries

Canada

Other Identifiers

IS-HPL-01

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id