According to the Decreased Injury Theory, cryotherapy primarily does what?

• A. Cures the injury
• B. Reduces infection
• C. Limits secondary injury and edema rather than hemorrhaging
• D. Increases blood flow to the injury

Answer: (C)

Cryotherapy works by slowing down the processes that cause more damage after the initial injury. Cooling lowers tissue metabolism, which reduces the inflammatory response and limits edema formation. With less metabolic demand and a blunted inflammatory cascade, cells are better preserved and swelling around the injury is reduced. This approach targets the later, secondary damage rather than the immediate bleeding from the trauma. It doesn’t cure the injury or increase blood flow; in fact, cooling can decrease blood flow through vasoconstriction. So cryotherapy primarily limits secondary injury and edema rather than hemorrhaging.