INFLUENCE OF TOPICALLY APPLIED MENTHOL COOLING GEL ON SOFT TISSUE THERMODYNAMICS AND ARTERIAL AND CUTANEOUS BLOOD FLOW AT REST

Topical application of menthol is a popular form of cold therapy and chemically triggers cold receptors and increases cutaneous blood flow. However, although cutaneous blood flow increases, it remains unknown where this increase arises from. Intramuscular temperature assessment may indirectly indicate a change in muscular blood flow. To establish intramuscular temperature, blood flow responses and subjective temperature sensation following application of menthol-based cooling gel to the anterior thigh. Controlled, randomized cross over interventional study. Twenty (age: 21.4 + 1.7) healthy males were treated on three separate days in random order with ice, a menthol-based gel or placebo gel (participant single blinded) on one anterior thigh. All measurements were taken at baseline and for 80 mins following treatment: 1) Skin, core, and intramuscular temperatures (1 & 3 cm deep); 2) femoral arterial blood flow (duplex ultrasound); 3) cutaneous blood flow (laser Doppler) and 4) subjective cold sensation. Ice and both gels decreased (p