Influence of cryotherapy application time on skin sensitivity

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cryotherapy is a treatment modality with several therapeutic effects, of low cost and easy to apply and access. This study aimed to observing whether there are changes in sensitivity according to cryotherapy application time, in addition to skin sensitivity behavior after treatment. METHODS: Participated in the study 21 individuals (14 females and 7 males, mean age 23.8±4 years) who were randomly distributed in three groups with 7 individuals each. Groups received cryotherapy application for 10, 20 or 30 minutes and were called groups C10, C20 and C30, respectively. All participants were previously submitted to skin sensitivity evaluation by Semmes-Weinstein monofilament and were evaluated immediately after cryotherapy application, 5, 10 and 15 minutes after application. Data were analyzed with Friedman's test complemented by multiple comparisons post-test (Dunn's post hoc). RESULTS: All individuals had hypoesthesia in the evaluation immediately after cryotherapy application. There has been significant difference in sensitivity recovery of group C20 as compared to C10 and C30 10 minutes after the intervention (p=0.0498). For groups C10 and C30, sensitivity has returned 15 minutes after the end of application. CONCLUSION: There has been lack of tactile sensitivity five minutes after the end of application, regardless of intervention time. Normal sensitivity recovery was observed after 10 minutes when cold was applied for 20 minutes, and after 15 minutes when cold was applied for 10 or 30 minutes.