The effects of hot/cold, cold/hot hydrotherapy on the circulation of the upper limb
Item
- Title
- The effects of hot/cold, cold/hot hydrotherapy on the circulation of the upper limb
- Author(s)
- Beacham Andrew
- Abstract
- ABSTRACTHydrotherapy has been used for centuries with little evidence as to its mechanism of action and therapeutic use. At the British College of Osteopathic Medicine the 12minute cycle of alternating hydrotherapy is used to elicit a presumed effect on circulation, however, this is not evidence based. In this study 18 healthy volunteers (10 women, 8 men) age range 21-33 and BMI range 19.14-28.10 were treated with hot/cold and cold/hot hydrotherapy as well as a control intervention. Skin temperature changes and blood perfusion variation in the non-dominant upper limb were examined before, during and after intervention using a Microflo DSP digital laser Doppler flowmeter monitor in order to ascertain the effect of hydrotherapy on the circulation. The independent variables included temperature variation and altered hydrotherapy timings. The dependant variables included subcutaneous blood flow at the biceps and cubital fossa and skin temperature over the biceps. Results indicated that both hydrotherapy interventions had a significant effect on skin temperature. However, only cold/hot hydrotherapy had a significant effect at both the laser Doppler flowmeter recording sites. There is much scope for further research in this field in order to fully understand the therapeutic effects of hydrotherapy.
- presented at
- British College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Date Accepted
- 0
- Date Submitted
- 1.1.1970 00:00:00
- Type
- osteo_thesis
- Language
- English
- Submitted by:
- 62
- Pub-Identifier
- 13571
- Inst-Identifier
- 1076
- Recommended
- 0
- Item sets
- Thesis
Beacham Andrew, “The effects of hot/cold, cold/hot hydrotherapy on the circulation of the upper limb”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 4, 2025, https://www.osteopathicresearch.org/s/orw/item/1186