Precautions in the use of Cryotherapy
Hypertension
- Careful monitoring is needed because of transient increases that can occur in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
- Treatment should be discontinued if increase in blood pressure is seen.
Elderly patients
- Decreased efficiency with vasoconstriction.
- Therefore, they have decreased ability to conserve heat.
Length of treatment
- Do not use cold gel packs longer than 15-20 minutes directly on skin, and do not apply any cryotherapy directly to skin for > 1 hour continuously.
- Extended treatment may lead to neurapraxia or axonotmesis of superficial peripheral nerves.
Knight K: Cryotherapy Theory: Technique and Physiology. Chattanooga, TN, Chattanooga Corporation. 1985