(COLORADO SPRINGS) – Cryotherapy, a treatment used by athletes around the world to help with quick recovery, is now available for almost everyone in Colorado Springs.
I tried out the therapy earlier this week at Cryotherapy of Colorado Springs, which is frequented by Olympic athletes and ordinary people for pain relief.
If you experience any pain, maybe need a mid-day pick me up, or perhaps you’re training for a marathon, Cryotherapy is a quicker, “cooler” option than some other treatments.
Here’s how it works: You are placed into a chamber for three minutes while up to -306 degree cooled air slowly blows onto your body. That sounds a little intimidating, but the air is cooled with nitrogen to make it dryer so that it is more manageable.
That super cold temperature provides a number of helpful benefits to the body and mind.
According to Managing Partner of CryoUSA, Mark Murdock, the brain triggers a response that thinks the body is going into hypothermia, a response which is immediately alleviated once leaving the chamber. In stimulating the skin sensors, endorphins are released which then elevates inhibitors in the body and enhances circulation which can in turn decrease inflammation.
When I was put into the chamber to experience it for myself. I described it as a “bearable cold” after about two minutes.
Most people feel better throughout their day, less pain, more energy, and helps athletes experience a quicker recovery.
“The best explanation is if you walked to the top of Mt. Everest completely naked, for three minutes, it would be invigorating but doable,” Murdock said.
My body felt very relaxed for the rest of the day, and I felt an extra jolt of energy as the day went on.
Murdock explained a person’s metabolic rate can speed up in the following eight to 10 hours after doing a Cryo session. Murdock said people even experience weight loss.
We asked Murdock if the therapy helps people acclimate to the cold, and despite the brief exposure, it does have an effect on people who try it.
“It doesn’t really help you get acclimated to cold. what it does do, especially in the winter, if you do a cryo therapy session, over the next 4-6 hours your body is Vasodilating, which means it’s returning blood back to the tissue. so that actually makes you warmer,” Murdock said. “On a cold winter day in Colorado Springs, if you do Cryotherapy, over the next four to five hours, it will help you tolerate a cold environment better. because you’re getting more blood flow.”
Murdock said the treatment can be used by anyone, not just those competing in Pyeongchang or in an NFL stadium.
“The 95% percent of us are just regular folks, who need that same level of recovery, we want to get treated just like a pro athlete. because look, your day as a mom or an employee, is just as important as that of a professional athlete.”
CLICK HERE for more information on the Colorado Springs location.
