Cryotherapy Spray Reduced Pain, Improved Joint Mobility
Patients with musculoskeletal pain were treated with cryotherapy spray to assess its use in providing immediate and sustained pain relief.
The use of cryotherapy spray significantly reduced pain and improved joint mobility in patients with musculoskeletal pain, according to data published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy.1 With high patient satisfaction and a favorable safety profile, researchers suggested that cryotherapy has the potential for future clinical use.
“Cryotherapy, long used for its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects, is widely applied in sports medicine, physiotherapy, and postoperative care,” wrote authors of the study. “Advances in cryotherapy methods, including the use of topical vapocoolant sprays, offer enhanced pain management and support recovery from musculoskeletal injuries by alleviating pain and reducing swelling in a targeted manner.”
Cryotherapy comes from the Greek words “kryos” and “therapeia,” meaning “cold healing.” | image credit: Ieva Zigg / stock.adobe.com
Musculoskeletal pain is the leading cause of disability around the world as an estimated 1.7 billion people experience mild-to-severe conditions globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).2 While health care professionals deliberate on the clinical standards of treatment for acute and chronic pain, providers have explored a plethora of therapies and interventions as potential treatments.
“Cryotherapy has shown promising outcomes in various clinical scenarios, especially in treating conditions like spasticity, joint restriction in rheumatic diseases, and certain types of pain,” they said.1 “These therapeutic effects stem from the physiological responses to cold, including changes in muscle tension, reflex activity, vascular effects, and nerve transmission.”
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Cryotherapy comes from the Greek words “kryos” and “therapeia,” meaning “cold healing.” Several types of cryotherapies have been clinically tested in the past, from topical cooling gels to simple ice pack therapies. However, researchers looked to a vapocoolant spray called Fisiocrem, which has cooling effects expected to alleviate pain and reduce swelling for patients with muscular injuries.
“The primary aim of this descriptive observational cohort study was to assess both immediate and sustained pain relief in subjects with mild to moderate musculoskeletal complaints,” continued the authors. “The hope is that the results will contribute to a gap in current scientific [knowledge] regarding the effectiveness of treatments for mild to moderate musculoskeletal pain.”
Researchers recruited 59 athletes from Spain with knee or ankle injuries (mean age, 39.8; 61.6% men) for the study. All participants reported musculoskeletal pain defined by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores of between 3 and 6 prior to the study. During the trial, however, participants reported VAS scores of 0 to 10 during the 3-week study period, with each patient making a total of 3 visits.
Study results highlighted the significant effectiveness of cryotherapy spray for improving pain. Researchers consistently observed pain reductions from the beginning of patients’ screenings at baseline, in each following assessment, and on the last day of the trial. A similar observation was reported when exploring patients’ passive and active joint range of motion.1
“The study suggests that the intervention may contribute to pain relief and improved joint mobility, though these outcomes could also be influenced by the passage of time and other concurrent activities. The results of this study suggest that the intervention may contribute to pain reduction, as measured by the VAS,” wrote the authors.
In a cohort consisting of athletes—a population more familiar with cryotherapy treatment than others—the Fisiocrem vapocoolant spray was significantly successful in consistently alleviating pain and improving joint movement. “While the precise mechanisms underlying this effect require further investigation, possible explanations include the transient skin cooling and associated neuromodulatory effects of vapocoolant sprays,” they continued.1
Despite the significant efficacy of cryotherapy highlighted in the study, researchers still believe ample research is needed to better understand its mechanisms and how it can be applied to larger populations. While natural recovery cannot be ruled out as a catalyst for cryotherapy’s success, this study provides further insights into how emerging cooling technologies have the potential to revolutionize pain management.
“While the treatment demonstrated high patient satisfaction and a favorable safety profile, long-term efficacy remains uncertain. Future randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm these findings and determine the broader clinical applicability of this approach,” concluded the authors.1
READ MORE: Pain Management Resource Center
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