Heat and cryotherapy Flashcards
1
Q
Physiological effects of heat
A
- Increased metabolic rate
- Vasodilation and increased blood flow
- Collagen becomes more extensible
- Increase in nerve conduction velocity
- Pain relief due to activation of antinociceptive descending pathways
- High temps may reduce muscle performance
- Reduced muscle tone
- Used after acute stage of inflammation
2
Q
Physiological effects of cold
A
- Slowing of chemical and biological processes
- Vasoconstriction
- Collogen becomes stiffer
- Reduction in nerve conduction velocity
- Pain relief due to pain gate or indirect factors
- Temperatures below 27º may reduce muscle performance
- Increased muscle tone
- Used during acute stage of inflammation to reduce pain, bleeding and swelling.
3
Q
Contraindications of heat
A
- Active DVT
- Acute injury/inflammation
- Impaired circulation
- Impaired sensation
- Impaired cognition/communication
- Infection
- Malignancy
- Pregnancy
- Recently radiated tissue
- Skin disease
- TB
- Testes- reduces sperm count
4
Q
Precautions of heat
A
- Cardiac failure
- Chronic wound
- Damaged/fragile skin
- Anterior neck/carotid sinus
- Eye area
5
Q
Contraindications of cold
A
- Active DVT
- Chronic wound
- Cold hypersensitivity e.g. Raynaud’s
- Cold urticaria
- Impaired circulation
- Impaired sensations
- Impaired cognition/communication
- Malignancy
- TB
- Anterior neck/carotid sinus
- Eye area
- Regenerating nerves
6
Q
Precautions of cold
A
- Cardiac failure
- Damaged/fragile skin
- Hypertension
- Recently radiated tissue
