Michael G. Dolan is Associate Professor and Athletic Trainer at Department of Sports Medicine and Exercise Sciences, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY.
J Athl Train. 1997 Jul;32(3):233-7.
Despite the long history of using cryotherapy to control edema, we found no randomized, controlled studies providing evidence to substantiate this common clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to determine whether cold water immersion affects edema formation following blunt injuries in rats.
The feet of 16 rats were traumatized after hind limb volumes were determined. Four 30-minute treatments of cold water immersion (12.8 degrees C to 15.6 degrees C, 55 degrees F to 60 degrees F), interspersed with four 30-minute rest periods, began immediately after trauma to one randomly selected hind limb of each rat. The limb remained in a dependent position during all treatments, rest periods, and volumetric measurements.
Sixteen anesthetized Zucker Lean rats were used in the study.
Limb volumes were measured after each treatment and rest period for a total of 4 hours.
The volume of treated limbs was significantly smaller (p < .05) than the volume of untreated limbs after the first treatment and remained smaller throughout the experiment.
Immersing rat limbs in 12.8 degrees C to 15.6 degrees C (55 degrees F to60 degrees F) water immediately after blunt injury was effective in curbing edema formation.
尽管冷冻疗法控制水肿的历史悠久，但我们没有发现任何随机对照研究为这一常见的临床实践提供证据。本研究旨在确定冷水浸泡是否会影响大鼠钝性损伤后水肿的形成。
16 只大鼠的后肢在确定后肢体积后受到创伤。每只大鼠的随机一条后肢在创伤后立即接受 4 次 30 分钟的冷水浸泡（12.8°C 至 15.6°C，55°F 至 60°F）治疗，其间穿插 4 次 30 分钟的休息期。在所有治疗、休息和体积测量期间，肢体保持在下垂位置。
16 只麻醉的 Zucker Lean 大鼠用于本研究。
每次治疗和休息后 4 小时测量肢体体积。
治疗后的肢体体积明显小于（p <.05）未经治疗的肢体体积，并且在整个实验过程中一直保持较小。
在钝性损伤后立即将大鼠肢体浸入 12.8°C 至 15.6°C（55°F 至 60°F）的水中，可有效抑制水肿形成。
