The influence of cold and compression on lymph flow at the ankle

Objective: To investigate the effects of cold application with different te mperatures on lymph flow in healthy persons and to examine the effects of t he combination of cold and compression on lymph vessels. Participants: Thirty-nine healthy persons were included in the study, and e ach served as his or her own control. Intervention: Water bags (1 degrees, 15 degrees, and 32 degrees) with or wi thout 25 mm Hg pressure were applied to the experimental legs for 30 minute s. Cold, pressure, or both were administered by an Aircast-Cryo-cuff (Airca st Europe GMBH, Rosenheim, Germany). Main Outcome Measures: Skin temperature was measured with a TESTO 901 (Test oterm GMBH, Leuven, Belgium) precision thermometer. Lymph flow was recorded continuously using lymphoscintigraphy. MANOVA with repeated measures was u sed for data analysis. Results: As expected, skin temperature dropped relative to the temperature of the water. The migration of the tracer was comparable in both ankles dur ing the first 30 minutes of the experiment (rest). When the water bag was a pplied, lymph flow increased significantly (p < 0.01). The application of w ater of 1 degrees C without pressure influenced lymph evacuation significan tly differently from the other temperatures. The application of pressure of 25 mm Hg influenced lymph evacuation significantly at 1 degrees C and 32 d egrees C. Conclusion: These results indicate that lymph evacuation at the ankle is in fluenced significantly when cold water is applied with or without pressure. When pressure is added to the application of water of 32 degrees C, lymph flow will also increase significantly, indicating the importance of pressur e in lymph evacuation.