The effects of icing a swollen knee joint on quadriceps muscle activation.

INTERVENTION: 15 subjects with no previous history of knee joint pathology had their knee joint infused with dextrose saline to a standardised intra‐articular pressure of 50mmHg to mimic the swelling associated with knee injury, surgey and arthritis. Subjects were randomly assigned to a cryotherapy (n=8) or control (n=7) group. The cryotherapy group had crushed ice wrapped around their knee joint on a single occasion for a 20 minute duration. CONDITION: Knee arthritis Knee injury Knee surgery PRIMARY OUTCOME: Quadriceps peak torque during maximum voluntary isometric contractions performed at 60 degrees of knee joint flexion. SECONDARY OUTCOME: Quadriceps electromyography amplitude (root mean square) Quadriceps muscle fibre conduction velocity (estimated using custom designed surface electrode) INCLUSION CRITERIA: Healthy volunteers