Comparison of the effectiveness of whole- -body cryotherapy and local cryotherapy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive autoimmune disease affecting connective tissue, leading to joint damage and multi-organ changes. Cryotherapy is one of the most frequently used physical methods during the treatment process of patients with RA. To evaluate the effectiveness of whole- -body cryotherapy and local cryotherapy in the treatment of RA patients. Study group consisting of 20 patients with RA (mean age 61 ± 10.9 years) was examined. Among them, there were 11 patients underwent a series of 10 whole-body cryotherapy (group A), and 9 patients who underwent 10 sessions of local cryotherapy (group B). Using a questionnaire, the Visual Analogue Scale and a Baseline hand dynamometer the patient’s condition was examined before and after the therapy. After the application of whole-body and local cryotherapy, a decrease of subjective pain feeling was observed among the studied patients. In group B, a greater decrease in joint pain within the knee and elbow was noted compared to group A. Whole-body cryotherapy led to reduction in pain of the wrist, shoulder, ankle, and foot joints compared to the local cryotherapy. In both study groups subjective improvements in well-being, independence, and manual efficiency were observed after the therapy. Additionally, a decrease in the duration of morning stiffness and an improvement of hand muscle strength were noted. However, these differences were not statistically significant. The application of both form of cryotherapy had a beneficial effects on the occurrence of symptoms related to RA in the study groups. Local cryotherapy proved to be an effective method of reducing joint swelling, which contributed to improvement in well-being, independence, and manual efficiency in patients.