Deep Freeze for Better Health?
What Is Cryotherapy
There have been many different thoughts and theories on whether cryotherapy is worth the money and time. In this article, we will explore the science behind cryotherapy and its potential benefits based on research and personal experience.
Cryotherapy is a medical treatment that involves exposing the body to extremely cold temperatures for short periods of time. This therapy has become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly among athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
Cryotherapy is done by exposing the body to extremely cold temperatures in order to drop your skin temperature by 40°. Depending on the type of cryochamber, temperatures can be anywhere from 70°F to -300°F and you can be in for a period of up to three minutes. The most common form of cryotherapy is whole-body cryotherapy (WBC), where the individual is placed in a chamber that is filled with nitrogen gas to reach extreme temperatures (shown in pics).
When the body is exposed to such extreme cold, the skin's temperature drops quickly, and the blood vessels constrict, reducing blood flow to the limbs and redirecting it to the body’s core. As a result, the body activates its natural "fight or flight" response which releases endorphins and adrenaline. This can help cope with stress, and can boost your mood.
Benefits of Cryotherapy
Pain Relief/Inflammation Reduction: Ice has been used for a long time to reduce inflammation so this is not a new concept. This is one of the main benefits of Cryotherapy and it has been shown to reduce pain and inflammation in specific medical conditions as well. Some of these conditions include arthritis, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis. It can also help with post-workout muscle soreness/pain.
Enhanced Recovery: Cryotherapy has been used by athletes to help speed up recovery after intense workouts. The extreme cold helps reduce muscle inflammation and tissue damage, allowing athletes to recover more quickly.
Improved Mental Health: The exposure to extreme cold can stimulate the production of endorphins, which can help reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. Cryotherapy has also been shown to improve sleep quality, moods, and reduce fatigue.
Stronger Immune System: The extreme cold can stimulate the immune system, leading to increased production of white blood cells and other immune system cells. This can help the body fight off infections and diseases.
Weight Loss Boost: Cryotherapy may help with weight loss by increasing the body's metabolism, which can burn more calories.
While cryotherapy is generally considered safe for most people, there are some risks associated with the treatment if the proper gear is not used and it is not done correctly. People with certain medical conditions, such as Raynaud's disease or diabetes, should avoid cryotherapy.
Katie’s Cryo Experience
I went into the cryo chamber after an intense gym day and was super tired from working all day on my feet the day before. I also have tendonitis and bursitis, so sometimes workouts can be hard to get through because of the pain from the inflammation. I was required to wear protective clothing which included gloves, socks, a face mask, and ear covering to prevent any frostbite or other injuries. The person overseeing the chamber played a song that I requested, and I went in for 2 minutes and 15 seconds. He made sure I knew that if I felt like I wanted to come out at any time I was able to do so.
My first thought after I stepped in was “How am I going to do this for 2 MINUTES!’
But after a few seconds, it didn’t feel that bad. The two minutes were over pretty fast and the results immediately coming out was an instant energy and mood boost. I didn’t feel any soreness that day from the workout. I slept great that night, in the morning my inflammation was still there, and I started feeling sore from the workout, but it was a significant amount less than I was used to. If I had the opportunity, I would test it for a month consistently and see what my results are after. Even after just one day though, I felt great!
Monica’s Cryo Experience
I tried the cryo chamber nearly 3 weeks after signing up for a membership. It took that long for me to work up the courage to go into those extreme temps! To say I’m not a fan of the cold is an understatement. I hate being cold with a passion but what motivated me to get in there was the results I was already getting from red light, compression and cryo t-shock on my neck.
Like many people I have chronic aches and pains from all types of unhealed injuries and accidents and it created a situation in my life where it became very hard to get good sleep, harder to recover from workouts and even harder to feel good. When you’re in pain every day whether it’s a level 3 or a level 8 out of 10 it’s just not easy to feel good.
It’s interesting that any time I would even mention this briefly to clients so they could understand that I know how they feel, they would say things like “but you’re so fit” or “but look at all you do”. I guess it’s hard to convey how much pain impacts your life when you're still training your body hard several days a week on top of teaching 5-6 weekly classes and training dozens of people several times a week plus practicing/performing in shows, hiking, stand-up paddle boarding, the list goes on. It’s hard for some people to grasp that you can still do all this but your body just feels like a train wreck most days.
So how has the cryo chamber and cryo-t shock helped?
1. I don’t wake up in pain anymore which is so nice! And when I train I actually feel that my muscles are working better especially if I do the cryo session BEFORE a workout vs. after. According to the latest research post workout cryo may actually not be as beneficial as pre-workout cryo. Makes sense if you take the inflammation out before a workout you’re just going to get a better workout!
2. Just 12 cryo sessions have made me feel more resilient after work so instead of feeling completely wiped out from all the physical things I do for work I feel like the little bit of down time I get throughout the day is enough recovery and at night I feel like I’m really recovering in my sleep instead of just hurting while laying down. Is this a placebo effect? Possibly but it doesn’t matter because as experts explain, your thoughts about your results matter just as much.
3. Another surprising benefit I have felt from cryo and possibly the combination of cryo, red light, and compression is that I can actually feel my core working hard again. This may be due to less lumbar facet joint inflammation or just the feeling of recovery but being able to effortlessly feel my core actually stabilizing all kinds of movement is a great feeling! Prior to this I felt that I had to try so hard to feel my deep abdominal muscles working which is strange considering how much I train them every single day for years now.
Is cryo healing my body from years of old dance injuries and other over training damage?
Well I’m on my third month of consistent cryo, red light, and compression and I’m trail running again and recently hiked 41 miles in a week with no pain! So yeah I think it’s getting me back to where I was before the pain took over! Do I recommend this for anybody dealing with pain or inflammation? Absolutely go deep freeze! And as Katie said the endorphin rush is pretty nice too.
