Utilising Cryotherapy in Chiropractic Care: Scientific Insights

As a chiropractor in Adelaide, I have observed diverse approaches in pain management and rehabilitation. One effective technique that we frequently employ is cryotherapy.

This method is integral to chiropractic care for managing pain, reducing inflammation, and promoting recovery.

Application of Cryotherapy in Chiropractic

Cryotherapy is commonly used to treat various conditions including musculoskeletal injuries, post-operative treatments, and overuse injuries. Specifically, in chiropractic care, cryotherapy provides substantial benefits for acute injuries, enhancing muscle relaxation and reducing localised pain and inflammation.

According to research, applying cryotherapy can effectively minimise the adverse outcomes associated with muscle damage and inflammation markers (Ramos et al., 2016).

Evidence Supporting Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is a popular therapeutic method used to relieve pain and accelerate recovery from various conditions, including inflammatory diseases, injuries, and overuse. The practice involves cooling the body, which has been shown to decrease markers of muscle damage and inflammation.

A study (Qu et al., 2020) demonstrates that whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) significantly reduces muscle damage and inflammation markers compared to cold-water immersion (CWI) and contrast-water therapy (CWT).

WBC showed superior benefits in lowering plasma creatine kinase and C-reactive protein activities, preserving vertical jump height, and decreasing perceived muscle soreness, making it the most effective method among the tested cold recovery modalities.

Conclusion

Cryotherapy presents a compelling adjunct to traditional chiropractic treatments, offering substantial benefits in pain relief and inflammation reduction.

The BTL Cryotherapy machine, in particular, is a versatile tool used in our practice to deliver efficient and targeted treatments. Its integration into chiropractic care enables patients to experience quicker recovery times and improved overall outcomes.

References

1. Ramos, G. V., Pinheiro, C. M., Messa, S. P., Delfino, G. B., De Cássia Marqueti, R., De Fátima Salvini, T., & Durigan, J. L. Q. (2016). Cryotherapy reduces inflammatory response without altering muscle regeneration process and extracellular matrix remodeling of rat muscle. Scientific Reports, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep18525

2. Qu, C., Wu, Z., Xu, M., Qin, F., Dong, Y., Wang, Z., & Zhao, J. (2020b). Cryotherapy models and Timing-Sequence recovery of Exercise-Induced muscle damage in Middle- and Long-Distance runners. Journal of Athletic Training, 55(4), 329–335. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-529-18