Lowering tissue temperature can reduce pain, swelling, and muscle spasm, leading to earlier admission for rehabilitation of an acute ankle sprain. Cooling is an accepted clinical practice in the treatment of ankle sprain, although the parameters of its application vary. The aim of the literature review was to determine the effects of cooling on the treatment of ankle sprain. Methods: PubMed, Science Direct and PEDro databases were searched for studies. Results: Eight articles were included in the analysis. The authors compared the effectiveness of different cooling techniques and durations, as well as the effectiveness of cooling with other established therapeutic methods. In six studies, the authors reported positive effects of cooling on reducing pain, swelling, and improving ankle function after sprain. Conclusions: Cooling improves the results of measurements selected to assess the effectiveness of therapy. In the case of an ankle sprain, cooling with ice packs should last 20 minutes and be started within the first 36 hours after injury. The number of cooling therapies in a day varies from item to item, so further investigation is needed.
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