The effect of cold packs on muscle activity as measured by surface electromyography
Item
- Title
- The effect of cold packs on muscle activity as measured by surface electromyography
- Author(s)
- Evans Jonathan
- Abstract
-
Objective: To investigate the effect of a locally applied cold pack on erector spinae muscle activity.
Background: Osteopaths and other manual therapists often use cold packs on patients in order to reduce muscle spasm, inflammation and pain. Although it is commonly accepted that the use of cold will reduce inflammation and pain the effect with regard to muscle activity is less clear.
Study Design: A 42 strong cohort was selected from the final year of the British College of Osteopathic Medicine (21 males, 21 females). The cohort was split into a treatment group (n=30) and a control group (n=12). The former group received ten minutes of locally applied cold to their erector spinae musculature; the control group received no treatment. An electromyograph was used to measure the subject's muscle activity in the lower erector spinae in the seated posture over the two-minute periods preceding and following treatment.
Results: The treatment did not significantly change muscle activity (p=>0.05) for the cohort as a whole. When sub-populations were analysed a significant increase in muscle activity was seen in the 'Low muscle activity group'. (p=<0.05) All other sub-populations showed no significant change in activity. (p=>0.05). No correlation was found between the subject's skinfold thickness and the effectiveness of the cold pack treatment.
Conclusion: This study provides no evidence that muscle activity in the lower erector spinae can be reduced by the application of cold packs. However, differences in responses seen within the cohort's sub-populations demonstrate the complexity of this field of research. Consequently it would be unwise to change the current clinical usage of cold packing on the basis of this study - especially as this study only examines the effect of cold packing on muscle activity and does not consider its positive effect on pain and inflammation. - 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
- 13629
- Inst-Identifier
- 1076
- Recommended
- 0
- Item sets
- Thesis
Evans Jonathan, “The effect of cold packs on muscle activity as measured by surface electromyography”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 4, 2025, https://www.osteopathic-research.org/s/orw/item/1128