A new device reduces foot injection pain by half, according to The International Foot & Ankle Foundation’s Foot and Ankle Online Journal. A recent study from Temple University evaluated two treatments for injection pain in the lower extremities. Use of an external vibratory device as a pain management adjunct for injections to the foot and ankle (Joseph Rundell, Tracey Vlahovik et al) showed MMJ Labs, LLC’s CoolPulse technology combining ice and vibration was twice as effective as cold spray alone reducing pain from foot and ankle injections.
Foot and ankle injections can cause more pain than other types of injections, due to depth and a greater density of sensory nerve endings. This pain, as the study notes, often leads to the deferring of future treatment, lower compliance by patients and lack of follow-up. The researchers concludes, “The combination of external vibratory stimulation in addition to cold spray produced an appreciable reduction in the pain in comparison to cold spray alone for our patients undergoing foot and ankle injections.”
The findings were presented during the Foundation for Podiatric Medicine Jan. 27-29, 2017 in New York City.
VibraCool(R) harnesses the same physiologic pain relievers of high frequency massage and ice in a product optimized for a wider range of pain sufferers. (Credit: PR Newswire)
“Joint and foot injections can be intense, so having a drug-free device that works on contact is fast and convenient. Combining cold and vibration leverages the body’s own physiology to block pain,” explains physician inventor, Amy Baxter MD. “I believe that our technologies have so many applications that we have not yet explored, and I appreciate the support from the scientific community who continue to confirm the effectiveness of vibration and ice therapy for all kinds of pain.”
Cool-Pulse technology was developed by MMJ Labs, LLC’s for Buzzy, the device used in the study. VibraCool harnesses the same physiologic pain relievers of high frequency massage and ice in a product optimized for a wider range of pain sufferers.
VibraCool’s intense 20-minute frozen solid ice packs decrease inflammation, pain and swelling. Vibration massages muscles, mechanically loosening stiffness and improving blood flow.
The design also features a neoprene compression strap so VibraCool can be worn comfortably during therapy.
