Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It WorksBenefitsPossible RisksAt-Home Treatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Works
Benefits
Possible Risks
At-Home Treatment
Research has shown that contrast therapy can reducemuscle fatigue,spasms, pain, swelling, andlactic acid buildupfollowing intense exercise. It may help improve therange of motionandfunctional mobilityof joints like the knee, elbow, or hands.
This article describes how contrast therapy works, including the benefits and risks. It also explains how to perform contrast therapy at home to recover from injury or manage conditions like arthritis.
Verywell / Danie Drankwalter
How Contrast Therapy Works
Switching back and forth between warmth and cold creates a pumping action that may help decreaseinflammation. This, in turn, can help alleviate pain and improve joint mobility.
Injuries that benefit from contrast bath treatments include:
Contrast therapy is typically performed in temperature-controlled whirlpool baths. The whirlpool action is thought to further promote muscle relaxation and ease pain.
Benefits of Whirlpool Therapy
How Contrast Therapy Is Performed
Depending on the facility, contrast therapy may involve two whirlpool baths, one hot and one cold, or one hot whirlpool bath and a cooling tub.
Once both tubs are at the correct temperature, the injured body part will be submerged in the heated water for three to four minutes.The physical therapist may also ask you to perform gentle-motion exercises (like wrist rotations or knee extensions) to increase joint mobility.
You will then submerge the body part in a cold whirlpool bath or tub for one minute.For this portion of the therapy, you will let the joint relax without movement.
1:35Click Play to Learn All About Contrast Baths for Physical Therapy
1:35
Click Play to Learn All About Contrast Baths for Physical Therapy
Benefits of Contrast Therapy Baths
The goals of contrast therapy differ based on whether you are recovering from an injury or surgery or using it to improve recovery during rigorous sports training.
The current body of research tends to support the benefits of contrast therapy in physical therapy and sports medicine:
8 Common Physical Therapy Treatments
Risks of Contrast Therapy
While generally considered safe, contrast therapy poses certain risks if performed incorrectly or inappropriately. These include:
At-Home Contrast Therapy Treatment
Contrast therapy can be performed at home with relatively simple tools, including two receptacles (like a bucket or tub) and a water thermometer to ensure the ideal, safe temperatures.
To keep the hot and cold baths at the correct temperatures, have a kettle of hot water and some ice to add if needed.
To start:
If the water in the cold basin gets above 50 F, add some ice.
If the water in the hot basin drops below 100 F, add a little hot water butdo notcontinue if it goes above 104 F. Either allow it to cool down or add some ice.
You do not need special water for contrast therapy; plain tap water is fine.
Summary
Contrast therapy is used in physical therapy to reduce pain, improve joint mobility, and speed healing after a joint or soft tissue injury. It can also be used to enhance post-exercise recovery.
Contrast therapy involves submerging a body part in warm water for three to four minutes and then submerging it in cold water for one minute. The process is switched back and forth for a total of 20 to 30 minutes.
Contrast therapy is considered safe but may not be appropriate if there is bleeding on or below the skin or if you have severe peripheral neuropathy or peripheral artery disease.
The Science and Benefits of Ice Baths
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Fokmare PS, Phansopkar P.A review on osteoarthritis knee management via contrast bath therapy and physical therapy.Cureus.2022 Jul;14(7):e27381. doi:10.7759/cureus.27381
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Hotfiel T, Freiwald J, Hoppe MW, et al.Advances in delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS): part I: pathogenesis and diagnostics.Sportverletz Sportschaden. 2018;32(4):243-250. doi:10.1055/a-0753-1884
Narula R, Iraqi AA, Narula K, Katyal R, Saxena MS.Comparative study of: non-invasive conservative treatments with local steroid injection in the management of plantar fasciitis.J Clin Diagn Res. 2014;8(9):LC05-7. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2014/10354.4895
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