Effects of cooling with simulated ice on skin temperature and nerve conduction velocity.

Commercially produced cold packs, which may be refrigerated to simulate ice packs, are preferred by many physiotherapists for cooling treatments. In the experiments described here, the efficiency of cold packs and ice packs was determined by measuring their effects on skin temperature and the conduction velocity of motor nerve fibres. Although the commercially available cold pack did alter the measured physiological variables, ice was found to be the more effective method of cooling superficial and possibly deep tissue.