Mittens, socks and underwear are the in-the-cylinder dress code!
Last night we had an unusual "date night" at Therapy of Champions in Richfield, MN. After learning about all the great benefits of "cold therapy" I decided to give cryotherapy a try. What a crazy experience! We are definitely returning.
Cryotherapy results in 500-800 calories burned in a single 3 minute session. It also makes you hungry, so I was glad dinner was next!
Cryotherapy originated in Japan in 1978 as a treatment option for those with rheumatoid arthritis. It quickly spread to Europe being a staple for trainers, athletes, and physical therapists. Today, throughout the United States its used by numerous sports teams, chiropractors, and physical therapists to treat inflammation, decreases recovery time, increase endurance, improve mood, and reduce pain (to read more about the benefits go the previous blog here).
The cryosauna contains nitrogen-cooled air that circulated, so I kept my chin up. Dancing was encouraged!
I was nervous prior to the start! Would I have some kind of panic attack being confined in -250 to -266 degrees F?! I was encouraged to hear there was an option of stopping and then getting back in if needed, but what I discovered was once I made it through the first 30 seconds (the most uncomfortable part) I relaxed and "adjusted" to the cold air. Otis also assured me that it is safe as long as I followed a few simple rules. Hands and feet are covered to prevent frostbite and chin is up in order to limit the amount of nitrogen breathed (note that the floor raises and lowers so you are at just the right height). Nitrogen is a non-toxic natural gas that makes up 78% of the air we breathe, but if we were breathing in just the "nitrogen air" that is circulating around in the tank we would pass out. With common sense, this is not going to happen!
My legs were most uncomfortable. The area of greatest inflammation tends to feel it more. Can you say runner?!
After selecting some Miles Davis' jazz, the party got started. Otis was good at distracting me with conversation, but the cold definitely went to my head and I found it was quite challenging to think straight!
Beyond the headache of set up, getting wet, and needing to be in the ice bath for much longer there are other differences between an ice bath and cryosauna. During an ice bath the cold penetrates deeper and can damage the skin, while in a cryosauna, the deeper layers of the skin are never penetrated.
When I used to take ice baths, I felt like no matter what I did, I could not warm up! The cryosauna had me warm within a minute or two of extiting.
During the first 30-seconds of Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC), blood draws from the extremities to the core and there is very little change in the core temperature (so no need to worry about your heart freaking out). Blood pooling in the core oxygenates and is enriched with nutrients, and returns to the extremities quickly after exiting. Right after getting out, my skin temperature was 42 degrees F and felt strangely "zippy", but it rapidly rewarmed, so that I felt comfortable within the first couple minutes of exiting the WBC chamber.
Thanks to Otis and Brandon for their great service. Now I have gone from cognitively knowing the benefits of cryotherapy to having experienced them!
Avoid cryotherapy if you are pregnant, and if you have a heart condition or an uncontrolled blood pressure talk to your doctor first.
The most noticeable impact of this session, was how completely relaxed and yet energetic I felt after I was done.
Wendy Dellis is a certified wellness coach. She joins years of training and work in the area of behavior change, experience as a fitness instructor and run club coordinator with a passion for adventure and people. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, Jay, and two sons.
The information contained on this page is for general information purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical or healthcare advice, but only topics for discussion. No physician-patient relationship exists; please consult your physician before making changes in diet or lifestyle.