Intra-articular Temperature Measurements After Superficial Heating
A Weinberger, R Fadilah, A Lev, J Pinkhas
Department of Internal Medicine D, Beilinson Medical Center, Petah Tiqva, Israel.
DOI: 10.2340/1650197789215557
Abstract
Superficial heating of the joint is widely used in various rheumatic conditions and is considered as decreasing the intra-articular temperature. This study shows that heating the joint with hot pack significantly increases the articular temperature from 35. 2 +/- 1. 5 degrees C (mean +/- SD) to 36. 4 +/- 1. 0 degrees C (p less than 0. 001), while intra-cavity temperature of the contralateral unheated knee joint did not change significantly. Since such elevation of temperature of one degree C is liable to enhance the inflammatory process, the use of superficial heating has to be carefully reconsidered in acute and chronic inflammatory joint diseases.
Lay Abstract
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