Cryotherapy Does Not Affect Peroneal Reaction Following Sudden Inversion

Abstract

Context:If ankle joint cryotherapy impairs the ability of the ankle musculature to counteract potentially injurious forces, the ankle is left vulnerable to injury.Objective:To compare peroneal reaction to sudden inversion following ankle joint cryotherapy.Design:Repeated measures design with independent variables, treatment (cryotherapy and control), and time (baseline, immediately post treatment, 15 minutes post treatment, and 30 minutes post treatment).Setting:University research laboratory.Patients or Other Participants:Twenty-seven healthy volunteers.Intervention(s):An ice bag was secured to the lateral ankle joint for 20 minutes.Main Outcome Measures:The onset and average root mean square amplitude of EMG activity in the peroneal muscles was calculated following the release of a trap door mechanism causing inversion.Results:There was no statistically significant change from baseline for peroneal reaction time or average peroneal muscle activity at any post treatment time.Conclusions:Cryotherapy does not affect peroneal muscle reaction following sudden inversion perturbation.