whole body cryotherapy

WHAT IS WHOLE BODY CRYOTHERAPY (WBC)?

Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC) is a cold air session that works by standing inside a cryotherapy chamber for a period of time that lasts two to three minutes. Cold air is blown over the body to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, causing dramatic peripheral vasoconstriction followed by dramatic vasodilatation.

The Cryosauna uses gasiform nitrogen to lower the skin surface temperature by 30-50 degrees Fahrenheit over a period of two-three minutes. The skin reacts to the cold and sends messages to the brain that acts as a stimulant to the regulatory functions of the body, causing a flight or flight response and adrenaline response. The skin’s exposure to extreme temperatures also triggers the release of anti-inflammatory molecules and endorphins.

HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO ICE BATHS?

It doesn’t. It is simply not possible to achieve the same temperatures and effects with an ice bath. Furthermore, an ice bath is generally an excruciating 12-15 minutes or longer wet process, where, cryotherapy is only a two to three minute completely dry, pain-free session. Generally, most people report ice packs are even more uncomfortable than a whole body cryotherapy session.

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF WBC?

Research conducted over the last two decades has established the efficacy of WBC in a wide range of areas. Most research has been focused on pain management and athletic performance.  Initially, whole body cryotherapy technology was developed in Japan and has been more widely used in eastern Europe for 30 years before more recently having been introduced in the United States.

Olympic and professional athletes from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, CrossFit, etc. have been using Whole Body Cryotherapy in the U.S. since 2011. Initially, these machines were only available in professional athlete training centers and generally not available to the general public. As more and more high-profile athletes and celebrities used cryotherapy, it became more mainstream and more widely used as availability for general use has risen.