1. Using Cold to Combat Motocross Injuries
One of the most dangerous sports to participate in is motocross, due to the combinations of rough terrain and high speed. Unexpectedly benign throws from the bike or hard landings cause knee injuries; landing the wrong way may cause a shoulder dislocation; flying over the handlebars can result in fractures and planting your foot down the wrong way when finishing a turn can cause ankle injuries.
2. Types of Injuries
Muscle spasm and pain result after injury. If the muscle is torn, blood cells and fluid leave and go into the area among the fibers of the muscles. The application of cold to the area will decrease the flow of this type of fluid and will make the release of the type of substances or chemicals that make pain appear with inflammation. This is called cryotherapy.
3. How Cryotherapy Works
Cold application lessens the flow of chemicals that cause inflammation and pain and will also alleviate feeling due to the numbing effects of cold therapy. Muscle spasms and bleeding internally is also stopped with this application.
4. Types of Cryotherapy
There are many different types of cryotherapy techniques. A simple one is created by putting some ice chips or cubes into a plastic bag wrapped up in a paper towel that can be applied to the area. Another type is one that houses a microchip unit that cools. Humans have used cryotherapy to their advantage since the Ice Age. The idea is simple: put a few ice cubes in a towel and apply it to your skin. Or, if you choose, cryotherapy is complex: apply a microchip-controlled personal cooling unit. It is extremely important that the cold therapy (cryotherapy) be stopped once the area that is being iced becomes numb, and it should not be applied to one specific areas for greater than 3 minutes due to the chance of frostbite occurring.
5. Cryotherapy Contraindications
Cold therapy should not be used if you have had any circulatory problems, have had a previous stroke or have decreased sensation such as paralysis from a stroke or other disability.
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