Effect of Cryokinetics on Knee Proprioception, Muscle Strength and Functional Performance in Healthy Young Individuals: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Background: Cryotherapy is used in acute injuries to reduce pain, inflammation and swelling. There are inconsistent results of effects of cryotherapy on proprioception, muscle strength and functional performance of knee joint. However, cryokinetics may overcome a few of these drawbacks with a possibility that a healthy individual with injury could start performing movements earlier and the duration of rehabilitation could be reduced. However very few studies have been conducted to support these facts. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 70 healthy participants selected from a physiotherapy institute over a period of 18 months. These participants were randomly allocated in Group A receiving cryotherapy and group B receiving cryokinetics. Pre and post intervention joint position sense, maximum voluntary isometric strength of quadriceps muscle and single leg hop test for distance were documented. Result: In group A, there was no significant difference in Reproduced Angle (p = 0.27) and Reproducibility Error (p = 0.59). Significant increase in muscle strength (p value of Peak Torque <0.0001 and p value of Average Torque <0.0001) was evident but there was no significant effect on single leg hop test distance (p value = 0.92) following Cryotherapy. Following Cryokinetics, proprioception (p value for Reproduced Angle = 0.19 and p value for Reproducibility Error = 0.25) was unaffected while muscle strength (p value of Peak Torque <0.0001 and p value for Average Torque <0.0001) and functional performance (p value for Single Leg Hop test distance <0.0001) increased significantly. On inter - group comparison, there was no significant difference in post - intervention proprioception (p value of Reproduced Angle = 0.87 and p value of Reproducibility Error = 0.72). Peak Torque (p = 0.032) and single leg hop test for distance (p = 0.02) showed significant difference post intervention but Average Torque (p = 0.05) difference was not quite significant.