How does cryotherapy help recover sports injuries?

Cryotherapy is widely recognised as an effective treatment for soft-tissue injuries. In fact, it can be used for postoperative management too. What makes Cryotherapy a great intervention is its ability to manage pain and swelling, which makes it a huge boon for athletes. Stepping into a cryotherapy chamber for a few minutes will freeze your pain away. Make sure you consult your doctor before taking any cryotherapy program, especially if your body isn’t able to tolerate low temperatures.

According to PubMed, the use of cryotherapy in acute sports injuries has become an accepted treatment over the past few years. From ice packs to ice towels, frozen gel packs to ethyl chloride, numerous cooling modalities are being used to heal the injured area. Several clinical studies suggest that cryotherapy has a positive impact on pain reduction. However, it is important to take precautions because prolonged application at very low temperatures can result in deleterious effects.

Though cryotherapy is new, it has carved its unique niche in the healthcare industry. Today’s athletes prefer taking cryotherapy sessions whenever they want to recover their sports injuries. Using ice packs has always been the instant reflex as it is cheap and easy.

What Makes Whole-Body Cryotherapy Better?

The answer is simple: cryotherapy has long-term effects. When you use icepacks on your injury, you may feel temporary relief. This relief or sensation disappears very soon, but cryotherapy is different. It works in different ways when it comes to speed recovery. The treatment reduces the blood flow in the injured area and minimises the effect of swelling. At the same time, it diminishes muscle spasms and the damage caused to the muscles.

When you enter a cryotherapy chamber, the temperature is around -240˚F (-150˚C). By contrast, an ice bath gives you around 46˚F (8˚C). So, there’s no comparison between cryotherapy and ice bath treatment. Still not convinced? Then you need to look at the… 

Top 5 benefits of whole-body cryotherapy for athletes

As discussed above, cryotherapy offers a number of benefits to those seeking quick recovery from sports injuries, strain and fatigue. Below, we have mentioned some of the most notable benefits of using cryotherapy.

Decreased inflammation

When your body takes white blood cells and transfers them to body parts, they might become potential threats. This process is called inflammation. This can cause those parts of the body to swell, especially in the case of too much fluid build-up. Prolonged inflammation often leads to impaired blood flow and less mobility. By having cryotherapy, you can move these extra fluids and allow fresh blood to flow back into that body part.

Post-workout recovery

After working out, your muscles need some time to recover. This is where whole-body cryotherapy can be used to reduce the overall recovery time by stimulating blood and lymphatic fluid movement. It may also help athletes to ease muscle pain, boost joint recovery and minimise the likelihood of muscle damage.

Tissue repair

Injuries are a part of an active life. Depending on the type of treatment you receive, you will either quickly get back on the track or be side-lined for a longer period of time. The choice is yours. If you choose to utilise the benefits of cryotherapy, your body can heal at a faster pace. This treatment brings in much-needed nutrients and oxygen to help the muscle recover, allowing athletes to quickly get back to their workout.

Depression and anxiety treatment

Whole-body cryotherapy has the immense potential to reduce all symptoms of anxiety and depression, except mood fluctuations. This is a proven treatment to improve the symptoms of depression and increase overall life satisfaction. When compared with standard treatments, cryotherapy appears to be promising and effective. However, it is important to keep in mind that well-designed sessions are needed to ensure the effectiveness of the treatment.

Get back to the game faster

More and more sports competitors rely on cryotherapy as it helps them redirect fresh blood to injured areas, accelerate tissue repair, reduce swelling and fight anxiety. All in all, these perks of cryotherapy can help you get back in the game as soon as possible.

The bottom line: Cryotherapy is the modern treatment for athletes

Cryotherapy is the modern way to treat sports injuries. The therapy has been around for a long time, but it is only a few years that it has appeared as the most widely used sports injury treatment. Probably, that’s why several famous athletes make use of whole-body cryotherapy.

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