Systemic Cryotherapy Influence of Low Temperatures on Selected Physiological Parameters |
| Z. Damijana and A. Uhryńskib
aAGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, Department of Mechanics and Vibroacoustics, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland b AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, Department of Machine Design and Technology, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland |
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| The work presents the research and analysis of the influence of low temperatures on selected physiological parameters of a human being. The research was conducted in the 20th Military Healing and Rehabilitation Hospital SPZOZ in Krynica-Zdrój, Poland. Systematic cryotherapy is a procedure during which the whole body, including the head, is exposed to very low temperature (about - 110°C) in a short time (no more than 3 min). The procedure is of a stressful nature; the exposure of almost naked body to a temperature not met in human natural environment causes a sudden mobilization of all the organism defence forces which is used in treatment, sport training and biological renewal. The reaction to extreme cold takes form of a short contraction which is followed by long-lasting - a few hours - dilatation of skin blood vessels. It is accompanied by analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect, relaxation of bronchi muscles, tendency to decrease oedemas and exudates, increase in immunity and mood, including even the euphoria feeling. The research included 20 people after having signed the agreement and excluding any contraindications. The research was carried on following the criteria of the estimate of research reliability according to Jadad randomisation. Every day, during 14 weekdays, after and before the procedure (3 min stay in a cryochamber, t = - 110°C) the measurement of selected parameters were taken, such as: systolic and diastolic pressure, pulse, temperature in aural canal, body mass, fatty tissue and changes of outer body temperatures (thermo-vision analysis). On the basis of the results and conducted analysis one can state that systemic cryotherapy causes the following changes: statistically significant increase of systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, fatty tissue, significant drop of pulse, deep temperature in aural canal and outer body temperature in analysed thermograms. The results were developed statistically using standard methods in accordance with algorithms of statistical inference. The aim of the work is the research on how a short-term exposure to cold changes the outside temperature of the front of a body, and answer to the question if the limb heat - the left and right side - reacts to heat identically. The work introduces biophysical research of the influence of low temperatures on thermodynamic changes in a human being. The results presented are not often met in specialist literature. |
| DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.121.A-38 PACS numbers: 07.20.Mc |