1. Pol Merkur Lekarski. 1998 Oct;5(28):222-4.

[Cryotherapy in osteoporosis].

[Article in Polish]

Ksiezopolska-Pietrzak K.

Cryotherapy is use of temperature lower than -100 degrees C onto body surface,
for 2-3 minutes, in aim to cause physiological reactions for cold and to use such
adapting reactions. Organism's positive response to cryotherapy supports
treatment of basic disease and facilitates kinesitherapy. Low temperature may be 
obtained by use of air flow cooled with liquid nitrogen; this could be applied
either locally, over chosen part of the body, or generally, over the whole body, 
in cryosauna or in cryochamber. The most efficiently is applying cryotherapy
twice a day, with at least 3 hours interval. Kinesitherapy is necessarily used
after each cryotherapy session. Whole treatment takes 2 to 6 weeks, depending on 
patient's needs. Cryotherapy reduces pain and swellings, causes skeletal muscles 
relaxation and increase of their force, also, motion range in treated joints
increases. Thus, cryotherapy seems to fulfill all necessary conditions for
rehabilitation in osteoporosis. Cryotherapy represents numerous advantages: it
takes short time for applying, being well tolerated by patient, also patient's
status improves quickly. In addition, contraindications against cryotherapy are
rare. All this makes cryotherapy a method for a broad use in prophylactics and
treatment of osteoporosis.


PMID: 10101448  [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]