Thermotherapy

            We discussed what cryotherapy does for athletes after a game, but what do they use before a game? Ask any athlete and they will tell you that nothing feels better than to have relaxed and loose muscles before going out to  compete or play. One of the best ways to achieve  relaxed and loose muscles is through thermotherapy. Thermotherapy is the therapeutic use of heat. Besides, cryotherapy, thermotherapy is the most commonly used therapeutic modality used in  a  training room. There are several different types of thermotherapy including hot packs, paraffin, and a warm whirlpool. These three types of modalities

transfer heat to the body through the use of conduction, while deep thermotherapy, such as ultrasound and diathermy, heat by conversion and radiation, which we will discuss later on.

A hydrocollator pack,  is “a canvas pack that encases silica gel”2 ,wrapped up in some  type of towel, is the most popular type of heat modality out of the three that were previously listed. Hydrocollator packs are able to heat tissue greater than 1-cm deep to a therapeutic level.1 Although they can only provide superficial heat, they also help  decrease muscle spasms and muscle tightness, as well as increase metabolism and blood flow to the desired area. A warm whirlpool has the same effects as a hot pack. The only difference is that an athlete can use a warm whirlpool  to heat their entire lower body, for example, if an athlete has full body stiffness.

A paraffin bath, though less common, can still be efficient in providing heat to an athlete. A paraffin bath is a “form of moist superficial heat [wax] applied… to the affected area.”2 This type of modality can be used to help increase circulation or provide muscle relaxation just like the hot pack. It can also soften the skin which can help someone with extremely dry/cracked hands and that is something the other modalities can’t  do.

Just like with anything, there are reasons why you shouldn’t use heat as the main modality. For example, you do not want to apply heat to an acute injury or an injury that has occurred within the last 24-72 hours. You also don’t want to apply heat to an area with compromised circulation or sensation. This could potentially burn the athlete and they may not even realize how hot it is getting. Though thermotherapy is a great modality, it is most effective when used correctly.

1Hawkins, J. R., & Hawkins, S. W. (2016). Clinical Applications of Therapeutic Modalities Among Collegiate Athletic Trainers, Part II: Thermotherapy. International Journal Of Athletic Therapy & Training, 21(1), 68-74. doi:10.1123/ijatt.2015-0036

2Knight, K. L., & Draper, D. O. (2008). Therapeutic modalities: The art and the science. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Thermotherapy (Heat). (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2016, from http://www.carsondurrdc.com/menu/thermotherapy-heat/

Rehabmart.com. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2016, from http://www.rehabmart.com/product/therabath-thermotherapy-paraffin-bath-4646.html