CRYOTHERAPY LABORATORY

Systemic cryotherapy

It is rendered in a special chamber, where temperature of air is maintained by means of liquid air up to - 120°C. Time of patient’s stay in a low temperature chamber initially amounts to 0,5 min and subsequently it is extended up to 3 min. The treated patients must wear a swimsuit, with a mask on a nose and face, a bank on ears, gloves and knee-length socks. They make forceful moves and walk in the chamber. After leaving the chamber it is necessary to go to the gymnastics hall and exercise under a physiotherapist’s care for half an hour.

Recommendations for systemic cryotherapy:

• chronic joint diseases
• rheumatoid arthritis
• Bechterew's Disease (Ankylosing spondylitis)
• psoriatic arthropathy
• lupus erythematosus
• soft tissue rheumatism
• multiple sclerosis
• biological regeneration

In Cryotherapy Laboratory patient is treated under the influence of low temperatures. The purpose of treatment is cryostimulation and biological regeneration of organism.

It is especially recommended with:

• rheumatic diseases
• joint arthritis of different etiologies
• degenerative affection of a joints
• chronic pains
• acute old sports injuries
• burns
• certain skin diseases (e.g. psoriasis)
• in neurological diseases

CRYOTHERAPY – CURATIVE COLD

Historical outline

Cryotherapy is one of the oldest treatment methods. The first records about utilization of low temperatures come from the ancient times, specifically from Egypt, ca. 2500 BC. Hippocrates (460 – 377 BC) recommended hyperthermia in reduction of swelling, bleeding and pain. He observed that the cold has analgetic properties. These facto were later acknowledged by other doctors, e.g. by Napoleon’s surgeon D. J. Lorrey. He described that limbs of soldiers hurt during the Russian Campaign (1812) could be amputated with minimum pain and bleeding if previously covered with ice or snow.

Analgetic properties of ethyl chloride have been known until the present day and mainly used in sports medicine, with injuries. In place of its application, tissue temperature may be lowered from -15°C to -20°C.

We can speak about modern cryogenics since physicists have acquired the ability to condense gases and to store them, i.e. until the end of 19^th century. The then physicists, also Poles (K. Olszewski, Z. Wróblewski) not only condensed oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, air and hydrogen, but also enabled industrial production of liquid coolants.

Cryotherapy may have both destructive and stimulating character. In year 1899 A. White used liquid air in skin warts treatment. In year 1961 Cooper and Lee used liquid nitrogen for surgical purposes – which initiated cryosurgery. In the early 80s’ of 20^th century Japanese rheumatologist Toschima Yamauchi (considered as the father of cryotherapy) used low temperature for non-destructive purposes, i.e. in order to chill the sick part of a body. Stimulating activity (on surface) of cryogenic temperatures (below 100°C) acting in a very short time (ca. 2-3 minutes) is used to elicit and utilize cold physiological systemic reaction in order to support basic treatment and facilitate treatment with movement.

Polish cryotherapy came into being in Wrocław in year 1983 on the Faculty of Rehabilitation in the University of Physical Education, managed by prof. M.D., senior dr Zdzisław Zagrobelny.

Constructor of the first such device in our country is M.Sc. Eng. Zbigniew Raczkowski from the Institute of Low Temperatures and Structural Testing in Polish Academy of Sciences in Wrocław.

“Alaska” type Cryogenic chamber available in Grudziądz is one of the most modern chambers in Poland. It comprises of vestibule I and II and proper chamber, located on the same level. Thanks to this a patient is still under a physiotherapist’s care. Installation of the device on one level also enables the treatment to the disabled.

Activity of cryotherapy

Influence of the cold on human organism takes place in two phases. In the first phase the organism’s heat is collected and it is exposed to low temperatures (from -60°C to -120°C) for a short time. Cooling down of skin and subcutaneous tissue proceeds very Fast. Rapid cold causes vasoconstriction. Then, less oxygen and nutritive elements are supplied to tissues. It decelerates metabolism and enzymatic reactions, which is equal to significant decrease of activity of mediators of inflammation. Cooling of tissues also has analgesic effect, due to deceleration of conductivity in nerve fibres, partial or total blockade of C fibres and decreased release of mediators of pain. This effect already appears during treatment and maintains up to 3-4 hours. During session in cryogenic chamber tension of muscles is greater and it retreats after 1 minute. It happens so because activity of muscle spindles is reduced. After the cold treatment, another phase of treatment takes place, i.e. warming up of body by means of physical exercises. At this stage, blood vessels expand, which results even in four limes greater blond flow through the vessels. The body slowly regains the proper temperature.

Summarizing, cryotherapy has analgesic and antiphlogistic effect, inhibits formation of swelling, reduces lymph production, reduces the tendency to bleeding and improves joints mobility.