Is it time to put traditional cold therapy in rehabilitation of soft-tissue injuries out to pasture?

Core Tip

Core Tip: Traditional cold therapy (e.g., topically icing the injured area) may not be helpful but rather act as a barrier to recovery process. A prolonged period of cold on the skin was reported to lead to a reduction of the blood flow, resulting in tissue death or even permanent nerve damage. Hyperbaric gaseous cryotherapy, also known as neurocryostimulation, has shown the ability to induce greater analgesic, anti-inflammatory, vasomotor, and muscle relaxing effects than other traditional cold application, thus quickening recovery and heal following soft tissue injuries. More high quality level evidence is still needed to confirm the efficacy of hyperbaric gaseous cryotherapy about its clinical effects for soft-tissue injuries in the future, in order to find the optimal way to use it.