Effect of Cold Submersion on Intramuscular Temperature of the Gastrocnemius Muscle

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of a 30-minute, 10 degrees C water bath on the intramuscular temperature of a lower leg and the contralateral lower leg. Intramuscular temperature was measured in 10 subjects using hypodermic thermistor probes inserted 25.3 mm into the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscles of both legs. One lower leg was submersed in a 10 degrees C cold bath with the water level maintained 5 cm above the patella and with the subject in a nonweight-bearing position. Intramuscular temperature significantly decreased in both lower legs during treatment, although the intramuscular temperature of the treatment lower leg was significantly lower than that of the contralateral lower leg. A temperature difference continued for four hours after treatment; however, the temperature of both lower legs was significantly lower after four hours than it was before the cold bath treatment.

Comparisons of Cubed Ice, Crushed Ice, and Wetted Ice on Intramuscular and Surface Temperature Changes

“…Other researchers found that the intramuscular tissue did not reach its lowest temperature until 10 to 15 minutes after the treatment period ended. 13,15 This finding is different from the findings of Merrick et al 18 and Myrer et al, 11 who reported the lowest intramuscular temperatures within 5 to 7 minutes of treatment conclusion using a 1-cm plus onehalf skinfold measurement depth. This difference may be explained by their more superficial measurement depth.…”

“…9 For both measurement locations and all treatments, we observed temperature changes similar to those reported by other researchers during cubed-ice and crushed-ice application. 8,[12][13][14][15] When examining surface temperature, we found that, after the 20-minute treatment period, wetted ice had produced a lower mean temperature (13.36C) than cubed ice (16.36C) or crushed ice (15.96C). From baseline to the end of the treatment period, the total change in temperature was 17.06C for wetted ice, 14.16C for cubed ice, and 15.06C for crushed ice.…”

“…Johnson et al 15 stated that, if a participant was placed in an inactive position for 4 hours after cold treatment, intramuscular temperatures could not be expected to recover to pretreatment values. This is consistent with our findings, but we only measured temperatures up to 2 hours after treatment.…”

“…3 Investigators have also shown that it decreases edema, 4 nerve conduction velocities, 5 cellular metabolism, 6 and local blood flow. 2 Researchers have studied the thermal effects of many methods of cold application by specifically looking at cutaneous and intramuscular tissue temperature change, [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] the relationship between temperature change and the depth of the targeted tissue, 7 and the type of cold application used. 8,9,11,13,14 Researchers agree on the physiologic effects of cold therapy and concur that cold agents that pass through a phase change (from solid to liquid) while cooling are generally more effective than those that do not.…”

“…9,14 Investigators 8,9,11,13,14 have often compared ice packs (crushed or cubed ice) with non-ice-pack forms of cold application. Some of these application methods include ice massage, 13 frozen gel packs, [7][8][9]14 cold-water submersion, 11,15 and frozen peas. 8,14 In one study, 14 a crushedice pack and mixture of chilled water and alcohol produced lower skin temperatures than those produced by frozen peas or frozen gel packs after a 20-minute treatment.…”