The Aircast Cryocuff is a useful, portable and flexible device for the management of knee injury, pain and swelling. Used commonly by physiotherapists, it can be an important tool in knee injury and post-operative management of knee operations, where the application of cold therapy is difficult with traditional methods.
Sports and energetic activities cause large numbers of knee injuries which need prompt and appropriate treatments from physiotherapists for the best and speediest outcome. Physios manage a wide variety of knee injuries and conditions including: meniscal (cartilage) injuries, medial ligament injury, lateral ligament injury, anterior cruciate rupture, knee replacement, dislocation of the patella and more general injuries to the knee capsule.
The knee is a hinge type joint, vulnerable to sporting and other injuries, and it is classified as a synovial joint, lined with synovial membrane. When the knee is injured inflammation occurs, increasing the supply of blood and the metabolism of the surrounding tissues. The synovial membrane secretes amounts of synovial fluid which cause a knee effusion (water on the knee) and this interferes with the muscle control of the knee and can be tight and painful. An effusion can slow recovery if allowed to.
Physiotherapy methods of cooling tissues usually have some disadvantages:
* Providing cold and compression at the same time is very difficult/impossible
* Applying ice to the knee does not provide effective cooling in many cases
* The skin can however develop an ice burn from overcooling at ice temperatures
* Long periods of cooling are difficult to maintain
* Individuals find it hard to keep the cooling going for long periods
* Cooling cannot easily be done whilst mobilizing.
Research indicates that compression rather than cooling might be the really important aspect in the management of the acute knee, so this needs to be the priority
The Aircast Cryocuff
The Aircast Cryocuff is a portable, convenient device for providing both compression and cooling for the management of acute or post-operative knee (or other joint) conditions. It consists of three parts:
* The Bucket. This is a cylindrical plastic reservoir with a detachable lid. It is light and stable and inside there are levels cast in the plastic telling the physio how much ice to put in and where to fill up to with cold water. Once the bucket is prepared the lid is screwed on to give a watertight seal.
* The Hose. The insulated hose has a clipping system which allows it to be attached to the cuff easily and cleanly.
* The Cuff. This is the business end of the device. It is a wraparound cuff designed to fit the contours of the knee and comes in three sizes.
Physiotherapy Use of the Cryocuff
The size of the cuff needed for the patient is measured by the physio 6 inches above the kneecap and then the cuff is fitted snugly to the knee and firmly attached with the Velcro straps. It is important to start with the cuff deflated or the benefits of compression of the Cryocuff will not be forthcoming.
The bucket should contain the correct mixture of cold water and cubed ice with the top screwed on well to avoid leaks. The physio attaches the hose to the clip on the cuff and lifts the bucket above knee level to allow the cold water to fill the cuff by gravity. The height of the bucket and how long it is held up will determine how tight the cuff is inflated with water.
The patient is able to disconnect the hose from the cuff and remain mobile while the cuff stays cold for an hour or so, providing the cryotherapy and compression required. They can also do their exercises with the cuff in place. Patients can then reconnect the hose, allow the water to flow back into the bucket then remix it by tilting the bucket before repeating the process of refilling the cuff with cold water. The procedure can then be kept up for six to eight hours before fresh ice needs to be provided for the bucket. - 14130
Sports and energetic activities cause large numbers of knee injuries which need prompt and appropriate treatments from physiotherapists for the best and speediest outcome. Physios manage a wide variety of knee injuries and conditions including: meniscal (cartilage) injuries, medial ligament injury, lateral ligament injury, anterior cruciate rupture, knee replacement, dislocation of the patella and more general injuries to the knee capsule.
The knee is a hinge type joint, vulnerable to sporting and other injuries, and it is classified as a synovial joint, lined with synovial membrane. When the knee is injured inflammation occurs, increasing the supply of blood and the metabolism of the surrounding tissues. The synovial membrane secretes amounts of synovial fluid which cause a knee effusion (water on the knee) and this interferes with the muscle control of the knee and can be tight and painful. An effusion can slow recovery if allowed to.
Physiotherapy methods of cooling tissues usually have some disadvantages:
* Providing cold and compression at the same time is very difficult/impossible
* Applying ice to the knee does not provide effective cooling in many cases
* The skin can however develop an ice burn from overcooling at ice temperatures
* Long periods of cooling are difficult to maintain
* Individuals find it hard to keep the cooling going for long periods
* Cooling cannot easily be done whilst mobilizing.
Research indicates that compression rather than cooling might be the really important aspect in the management of the acute knee, so this needs to be the priority
The Aircast Cryocuff
The Aircast Cryocuff is a portable, convenient device for providing both compression and cooling for the management of acute or post-operative knee (or other joint) conditions. It consists of three parts:
* The Bucket. This is a cylindrical plastic reservoir with a detachable lid. It is light and stable and inside there are levels cast in the plastic telling the physio how much ice to put in and where to fill up to with cold water. Once the bucket is prepared the lid is screwed on to give a watertight seal.
* The Hose. The insulated hose has a clipping system which allows it to be attached to the cuff easily and cleanly.
* The Cuff. This is the business end of the device. It is a wraparound cuff designed to fit the contours of the knee and comes in three sizes.
Physiotherapy Use of the Cryocuff
The size of the cuff needed for the patient is measured by the physio 6 inches above the kneecap and then the cuff is fitted snugly to the knee and firmly attached with the Velcro straps. It is important to start with the cuff deflated or the benefits of compression of the Cryocuff will not be forthcoming.
The bucket should contain the correct mixture of cold water and cubed ice with the top screwed on well to avoid leaks. The physio attaches the hose to the clip on the cuff and lifts the bucket above knee level to allow the cold water to fill the cuff by gravity. The height of the bucket and how long it is held up will determine how tight the cuff is inflated with water.
The patient is able to disconnect the hose from the cuff and remain mobile while the cuff stays cold for an hour or so, providing the cryotherapy and compression required. They can also do their exercises with the cuff in place. Patients can then reconnect the hose, allow the water to flow back into the bucket then remix it by tilting the bucket before repeating the process of refilling the cuff with cold water. The procedure can then be kept up for six to eight hours before fresh ice needs to be provided for the bucket. - 14130
About the Author:
Jonathan Blood Smyth is the Superintendent of Physiotherapy at an NHS hospital in the South-West of the UK. He writes articles about back pain, neck pain, and injury management. If you are looking for physiotherapists in Brighton visit his website.
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