Three Ways to Optimize your Cryotherapy Sessions to Reduce Pain
Taking science and our findings from frequent Cryo clients
Cryotherapy is defined as the use of cold to induce a therapeutic response in the body. The method that we use at Total Rejuvenation is called Whole Body Cryotherapy. “Cryo” as it has come to be known, has a number of benefits such as increasing circulation in the body which serves to flush out unwanted compounds and bringing in nutrients and repair cells to keep tissues healthy. Other benefits include increasing the production of cold shock proteins which help control symptoms of chronic inflammation and inflammation-related conditions like Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia.
For those with chronic pain, regular use of Cryo can help provide relief for their symptoms and a tool to aid in decreasing pain over time. We have seen incredible results with our frequent clients in controlling pain symptoms. But a common question that is asked is: “How can I make the most out of my sessions?”You asked so we answered! Here are 3 ways to get the most out of your sessions:
Schedule your session within 24hrs of a hard workout
Getting a good workout in feels great but can often leave you feeling sore and stiff the following day. In our experience, and the experience of our clients who exercise regularly, getting a session within 24hrs of when you hit the gym or a long run can significantly reduce delayed onset muscle soreness and decrease pain related to exercise so you can get back to training. You can come on the same day as your exercise bout if you like but research shows that you want to leave some time (at least an hour or 2) to allow the inflammation caused by exercise-induced muscle damage to trigger healing. Inflammation is good! It triggers repair processes which are how you make gains. A Literature Review conducted by the University of Sydney Sport and Exercise Science Department found that the use of WBC within 24hrs post-exercise reduced exercise-related pain as well as markers of muscle damage and systemic inflammation.
Frequent Sessions
As many of you know, just one session can have you feeling good and you may even see some benefits, but unfortunately just one session will not unlock all the benefits cryo as to offer. According to some of our frequent clients, we have found that the best benefits come from getting in a few sessions within the first week or two, then coming in 2-3 times per week from then on or as needed, was the best way to maximize the benefits. A little bit of experimentation may be needed to find the right frequency for your needs. In this table from a literature review evaluating inflammation markers after WBC treatment, protocols range from one session per day for 4 weeks to one session per day for 5 days. “Nevertheless, almost all of these studies agree on general benefits induced by the treatment including improved pain, mood, and quality of life (QoL).” – Giovanni Lombardi, Ewa Ziemann, and Giuseppe Banfi
Use diaphragm breathing in session and out of session
It is widely acknowledged that improving circulation is linked to the increased overall health of your mind, body, and soul. The use of cryo can drastically increase circulation during and shortly after your session, as blood flows into your organs and back into your arms and legs. This increase in circulation will allow nutrient-rich and oxygenated blood to flow to areas where it is needed and even help repair cells flow to the areas that need some TLC. One way to increase the blood flow even further, and treat pain flare-ups in and out of sessions, is to use deliberate and rhythmic breaths using your diaphragm (your tummy!). By using this technique, you can create internal pressure in your chest and tummy which will serve to push blood through the body. If you have never used diaphragmatic breathing, you can practice this by using the following steps given by this Johns Hopkins Children Hospital: Diaphragmatic Breathing article (works for adults too!):
Place a hand on your stomach, above your belly button. Place your other hand on your chest.
Breathe in slowly through your nose and imagine filling a balloon in your stomach. You will feel your hand moving as your stomach gets bigger and pushes out. The hand on your chest should stay still.
Breathe out slowly through your mouth and imagine the balloon shrinking as your stomach becomes flat.
As you breathe in you can imagine sniffing a flower or your favorite food. Breathe in as smoothly and gently as possible.
As you breathe out, purse your lips and image you are gently blowing out 100 birthday candles or slowly blowing bubbles with a bubble wand.
One of the big keys to remember is to control the exhale using the “pursed lips” as noted above. This will increase the relaxation response and help to quell pain symptoms even out of the session. We will dive deeper into breathing exercises in a future post!
I hope you found this post enlightening and will help you make the most out of your next session! Stay tuned for more ways to make the most out of your health journey with us at Total Rejuvenation.
