Subzero Recovery

Q: What is cryotherapy?

A: Cryotherapy is a whole-body or localized application of extremely cold temperatures (-150°C) for the treatment of pain and inflammation. It is similar to traditional ice treatments (e.g. ice packs, cold compresses, or ice baths), but it utilizes colder temperatures for a shorter duration. This allows the muscles to sustain reduced temperatures without compromising the skin or core temperatures. It also allows the skin temperature to return to normal while deeper muscle tissues remain cold for added benefits.

Q: What are the benefits of cryotherapy?

A: The extreme cold temperature or cryotherapy decreases cellular metabolism, decreases inflammation, decreases pain and muscle spasm, promotes vasoconstriction and stimulates the body’s nervous system. Users have reported a wide variety of benefits including: decreased stress, increased energy, improved sleep, anti-aging effects due to the increased collagen during the treatment, weight loss from the increased calorie usage and relief from muscle and joint pain.

Q: Can cryotherapy improve performance and injury recovery?

A: Absolutely! Many athletes have purported a substantial decrease in their injury recovery time. Additionally, the latest research has shown that utilizing cryotherapy prior to exercise (pre-cooling) can help improve peak performance levels by as much as 28%. Although cryotherapy is being used in training facilities by Olympic teams, professional sports teams, runners, and a number of other athletes; you do not need to be an elite athlete to reap the benefits.