Cryotherapy (therapeutic cold) can be helpful in managing soft tissue athletic injuries. It can also cause frost bite if done incorrectly.
Patient selection: athletic soft tissue injury
Risk factors for frostbite:
(1) direct application of an ice pack to the skin (without intervening material)
(2) use of dry ice
(3) cryoglobulin
(4) prolonged exposure without observation of site
Wet ice (mixture of ice and water) may be safer than ice only.
