Cryotherapy, Thermotherapy and active compression

When we talk about cryotherapy, we are referring to the use of cold for therapeutic purposes; cold, due to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, is able to numb a painful muscle or joint for a certain period of time. The use of cryotherapy, combined with active compression, reduces the effects of inflammation or micro-lacerations of muscle fibers after an injury or after intense training routines. Cryotherapy is useful in cases where acute inflammatory states occur as a result of any type of injury or overload, such as muscle, tendon and ligament tears, contusions, sprains and strains, myalgia and muscle spasms, etc.

Heat, which increases tissue elasticity, is able to catalyze all biochemical reactions in the body by significantly increasing the amount of oxygen and nutrients in the tissues. It also helps to eliminate lactic acid that accumulates in the muscles, thus relieving spasms caused by muscular fatigue. Heat therapy can be alternated with the use of cold in cases where normal blood circulation is disturbed, such as in the subacute or chronic phase caused by certain traumas and inflammatory conditions. This alternation of hot and cold leads to a succession of vasodilation and vasoconstriction, thereby increasing the blood flow in the treated area.