Hand Cooling With Ice Packs in Healthy Young Men (ICEHAND)

Poznan University of Physical Education

Status: Completed

Conditions: Body Temperature Regulation; Cold Exposure; Thermal Comfort Perception

Treatments: Other: Thermoneutral Water Pack (Control); Other: Ice Pack (Localized Cryotherapy)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07254182

AWF-Poznan-HandIce-RCT-001

Details and patient eligibility

About

This randomized, parallel-group study looked at how a standard 15-minute ice pack applied to the back of the hand affects skin temperature and how cold and comfortable the hand feels, compared with a room-temperature water pack. Healthy young men were randomly assigned to one of the two groups during a single laboratory visit. Skin temperature was measured before, during, and after the application, and participants rated their thermal sensation (how cold/warm they felt) and overall comfort.

The main outcome was the change in hand skin temperature right after the 15-minute application. Additional outcomes included comfort and cold-feeling ratings and how quickly skin temperature returned toward baseline during recovery. This was a minimal-risk study; expected short-term effects included temporary cold, numbness, redness, or mild discomfort. No medicines or invasive procedures were used.

Enrollment: 39 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy male volunteers (university student population).
• Good general health with no history of neck or upper-quadrant pain.
• Able to provide written informed consent.
• Willing to comply with pre-visit restrictions on the study day (abstain from tobacco, coffee, alcohol; no hand ointments for 24 h; wash/degrease hands ≥1 h before testing; refrain from vigorous exercise/physical treatments for 24 h).

Exclusion criteria

• Diabetes
• Thyroid or other endocrine dysfunction
• Significant spinal pain
• Generalised neurological or rheumatological disorders
• Regular use of pain medications or psychotropic medications

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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39 participants in 2 patient groups

Ice Pack (Localized Cryotherapy)

Experimental group

Description:

Single 15-minute application of a reusable plastic ice pack (Mueller; Ø 22.86 cm, 946 mL). The pack was filled with 400 g of pre-portioned cylindrical ice and placed on the dorsal side of the dominant hand, \~1 cm proximal to the wrist-joint line, fully covering the fingers. Participants were supine with the hand slightly elevated; ambient conditions were controlled at ≈22.5 ± 1.0 °C and 55.3 ± 6.5% relative humidity (RH).Contact was maintained throughout the application; thermal sensation/comfort and pain were recorded during the 7th and 15th minutes.

Treatment:

Other: Ice Pack (Localized Cryotherapy)

Thermoneutral Water Pack (Control)

Active Comparator group

Description:

Identical 15-minute application using the same Mueller pack filled with thermoneutral water (within ±0.5 °C of limb skin temperature), mass-matched to 400 g. Placement, posture, and ambient conditions mirrored the experimental arm: pack on the dorsal side of the dominant hand, \~1 cm proximal to the wrist-joint line, fully covering the fingers; participants supine, hand slightly elevated; sensation/comfort and pain recorded at minutes 7 and 15.

Treatment:

Other: Thermoneutral Water Pack (Control)