The Secret That All Athletes Should Know: Whole Body Cryotherapy

Whether you are a weekend warrior hitting the trails on your mountain bike or a professional athlete, you need fast recovery to perform your best. One the most talked about treatments for rejuvenating the body after physical strain is Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC). This revolutionary therapy is helping athletes recover from injury and muscle soreness in record time, plus it is used for many other health benefits by people from all walks of life. Find out why this secret therapy may be the tool you have been looking for to bring your performance to the next level.

What is Whole Body Cryotherapy?

To put it simply, Whole Body Cyrotherapy is a fast, dramatic cooling of the skin to the low temperature of 32 degrees for no more than 3 minutes. This shocking drop in temperatures causes a peripheral vasoconstriction, stimulating the nervous system through receptors in the skin. In response, the brain releases endorphins and the body shifts quickly into repair mode, reducing inflammation, stimulating cell repair and boosting the immune system.

This process is similar, but more effective, to the well-known ice bath that athletes have used for many years. WBC is performed in a cyrosauna, which envelops the body in extreme coldness to drop the skin’s surface temperature to 32 degrees. The therapy only lasts for 2-3 minutes, but the body’s response to the treatment is noticed over the days and weeks to follow. Athletes report less muscle soreness, faster injury healing, reduced fatigue and enhanced energy levels. It is the optimum treatment for athletes at all levels of training to improve their performance by reducing recovery time and improving the strengthening process.

Benefits of WBC

By far, the biggest use for WBC is for athletes that need fast recovery. The therapy promotes quick healing of injuries, muscle strain and joint damage. However, WBC was first used to treat Rheumatoid arthritis, and is beneficial for a wide range of health problems. Some of these include:

- Fibromyalgia
- Joint inflammation
- Inflammatory disorders
- Degenerative diseases of the back and spine
- Chronic fatigue

Since WBC stimulates cell repair, it can be used for almost any type of improved healing. In addition, many non-athletes are using it to promote wellness as part of their health regimen. The treatment is affordable and non-invasive, so almost anyone can reap the benefits. WBC has been reported to stimulate the metabolism, boost the health of skin and hair and is becoming popular as a treatment for aging skin due to its stimulation of collagen production.

At Stratton Sport & Spine, we offer Whole Body Cryotherapy as one of our many services to help our patients recover quickly from their injuries. Whether you are a top athlete or are recovering from an accident, we are here to help you minimize your recovery time using the latest therapies.  Call us today to learn more about Whole Body Cryotherapy and how you can benefit from this popular therapy. 

March 07, 2015