When you are up to exercise, you can expect muscle injuries anytime and it is probably the only drawback we can expect from exercising. And even if you are not at all exercising but living an active life, you are not spared from small injuries, tears, and strains.
Contents
- 1 Cryotherapy For Muscle Recovery
- 2 Does Cryotherapy Really Work For Muscle Recovery?
- 3 How Will It Improve Conditions Of Injury?
- 4 Lewis Hunting Reaction
- 5 How To Apply Cold?
- 6 Pros Of Cryotherapy
- 7 Cons Of Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy For Muscle Recovery
As you are more likely to get injured during your workout session, extreme physical activities, there are many ways in which you can find solace. Cryotherapy, in that way, can be practiced to get you relief from that painful soreness or swellings in your muscles as well as speed up the workout recovery time. It is the simplest but effective way to treat injuries with not much cost maybe because of this it gained a wide range of popularity around the world.
Does Cryotherapy Really Work For Muscle Recovery?
Basically, cryotherapy implies any treatment which uses ice or freezing temperatures. So, it is like a collective name for ice baths, treating with ice packs, or a cold shower. Generally, physicians use it to reduce nerve irritation, freeze warts, kill abnormal skin cells, or treat some types of cancers. Presently, athletes and fitness lovers use this technique to save themselves from injuries.
How Will It Improve Conditions Of Injury?
Cryotherapy emerged back in the ages of 2500 BC, in Egypt. Then, people used sold temperatures to cure injuries. Eventually, this technique received several changes over time. Presently, this treatment is available in many ways ranging from very basic ice packs to an advanced whole-body cryo-chamber.
Undergoing cryotherapy can improve the conditions of pain since it instigates local anesthesia. Once you apply ice or super cold temperature on the injured area, it decreases edema, nerve conduction velocities, blood flow, and cellular metabolism. If it is practiced in the right duration, temperature, and method, it can make wonders on your muscles instantly.
When the cold or freezing temperature is applied to your body, it will turn on the survival mode in your body. Resulting in a favorable blood flow in the applied area towards recovery. When the ice pack is removed or you come to normal temperature, your body starts to warm up and the blood flow also becomes normal. And this process will result in ultra nutrient-rich blood flow into your muscles and joints.
Lewis Hunting Reaction
By cryotherapy, you will receive a cure as it is involved with Lewis’s reaction, a hunting response. Here, the alternation of vasoconstriction and vasodilation occurs in the affected areas due to exposure to cold.
How To Apply Cold?
In cryotherapy, there are several ways to treat an injured muscle. Like,
1 Ice Packs
It is the most basic and common method of cryotherapy. The ice packs used in this method are made of cubed, different shaped, or crushed ice. During the treatment, wetted ice is used since it can lower surface temperature and maintain the lower temperature during recovery. The intramuscular temperature is regulated here.
2 Sprays
Ice sprays are used to bring a cooling effect to the injured area. And it can also have a similar effect to that of ice packs.
3 Immersion
Here, the cold effect is dunked into your muscle with simple or whirlpool immersion.
4 Massage
Sometimes it could be just a matter of a cold massage, to get relief from muscle injuries. So in massaging, ice is applied on the injured area and massaging there up to to 10 minutes in a circular motion.
5 Whole Body Cryo Chambers
It is a whole-body supercooling technique where liquid nitrogen is used to create amazing cold air in a small chamber. Once the injured person gets into the chamber, it is enclosed to treat him.
Pros Of Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is indeed a good solution to a muscle injury as it brings a lot of benefits, like;
- Relief from pain
- Improved workout recovery times
- Minimizes inflammation
- Increased flexibility
- Cures muscle injuries
- Raise in endorphin levels
- Acute soft tissue injuries such as sprains.
- Improves swelling
Cons Of Cryotherapy
- Even though it is used to cure injuries for ages, there is little evidence about the right duration and frequency of the treatment for effective results.
- It may result in bradycardia and frostbite symptoms in rare cases.
- It may lead to certain possible risks like inhibiting muscle function.
With cryotherapy, you literally freeze yourself for a few minutes, in order to regenerate your muscles. Moreover, it can rejuvenate your skin, boost your immune system and even aid in weight loss. But if you are not careful about the method, temperature, and duration of applying cold to your body, it can lead to adverse conditions like ice burns, or nerve injuries.
If you are an athlete or someone who is prone to muscle injuries or simply wants to have a maximum performance level and competency, whole-body cryotherapy is ideal for you. It can accelerate your muscle healing, decrease your fatigue, and improve pain.
