Effects of microcurrent and cryotherapy on C-reactive protein levels and muscle tone of patients with rotator cuff reconstruction.
Jeong-Il Kang, Dae-Keun Jeong, Hyun Choi
PMID 29410562WHAT IT FOUND
After rotator cuff repair, men receiving CPM plus cryotherapy had the greatest reduction in inflammation marker CRP and supraspinatus tone over two weeks.
CPM and analgesics were given to all groups, so cryotherapy alone cannot be isolated.
Key findings
01The CPM plus cryotherapy group showed the largest between-group change in CRP levels.
02The same CPM plus cryotherapy group showed the largest between-group change in supraspinatus muscle tone.
03VAS pain scores were lower at post-test in all three groups.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 30 male patients aged 40-55 were studied, with 10 in each group, so the sample was small and not broad. All participants received CPM and analgesics, so the contribution of icing, cryotherapy, or microcurrent alone cannot be separated. The study was done at one medical institution over a short period, and participants' activities of daily living were not controlled. The paper does not describe how participants were divided into groups or whether assessors were blinded. The theoretical background for cryotherapy's effects remains debated.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that cryotherapy alone reduces inflammation or pain after rotator cuff repair. Every group received CPM and analgesics, and the study did not separate the effects of CPM, icing, cryotherapy, or microcurrent.