Does Cryotherapy Hasten Return to Participation? A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To search the English-language literature for original research addressing the effect of cryotherapy on return to participation after injury. DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE, the Physiotherapy Evidence Database, SPORT Discus, the Cochrane Reviews database, and CINAHL from 1976 to 2003 to identify randomized clinical trials of cryotherapy. Key words used were cryotherapy, return to participation, cold treatment, ice, injury, sport, edema, and pain.