This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The energies that are applied clinically are termed therapeutic modalities or physical agents and often supplement the rehabilitative plan by reducing pain, preparing the site for exercise, or to facilitate healing. At the basic science level, more intrinsic information on the physiological mechanism of action of therapeutic modalities is also needed and that is the intention of this project. We need to better establish the physiologic effects of specific modalities to ensure understanding of their mechanistic actions. Despite the interest in studying microvascular responses in musculoskeletal injuries, there has never been a technique to visualize and accurately measure capillary blood flow in skeletal muscles. The primary aim of this study is to assess the skeletal muscle microvascular responses associated with the application of cryotherapy in the triceps surae muscle. This study is designed to determine whether therapeutic cooling causes intramuscular vasoconstriction and resultant reduction in microvascular perfusion in normal musculature or whether vascular changes occur only in the skin and subcutaneous tissue. We hypothesize that cryotherapy decreases skeletal muscle blood flow when applied at therapeutic doses and changes in microvasculature can be measured with CEU. Additionally, we intend to correlate intramuscular microvascular changes with respective temperature changes. The results of this study will help us quantify microperfusion in skeletal muscle during cryotherapy and to identify what measurements can be obtained with CEU.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 674 publications
