Imagine: Stepping into a chamber that has been cooled via liquid nitrogen to -264 degrees Fahrenheit (As cold as the dark side of the moon according to space.com)…
Staying there perfectly still for 3 minutes while your body shivers and panics from the brutal cold. I’m told this forces your body to pull blood into your internal organs to keep them warm leaving your extremities to fend for themselves.
The rush of blood back to your extremities after being so cold is supposed to help with inflammation and muscle soreness, which would help with work-out recovery as well. Your body releases endorphins to numb any pain, giving you a ‘high’ feeling, like after a long run.
This is cryo-therapy…
I’ve had friends swear by cryo-therapy, booking appointments for this treatment weekly as a way to recover from workouts faster. The whole thing seems like pseudo-science to me and I’ve been reluctant to try it.
That was until a good friend of mine, who’s opinion I trust, gave it a shot in San Diego. Her results were interesting… A skeptical first timer no expectations going into it. By the end of its she said she felt a sense of calm happiness from the endorphin rush, and that it helped with her muscle soreness from hiking the day before.
On her recco I figured what the heck… I’ve been sore from breakdancing classes all week and I’m willing to try anything that will help me recover faster.
Google found a place near me with great reviews… More converts swearing by cryo therapy as a treatment for all their ails. The place: Kryolife
Cool name, close by, reasonably priced. I called, set an appointment for right before my next break dancing class so I’d go in without all that soreness.
I was actually a little nervous on my way there… I was about to spend 3 minutes on the dark side of the moon.
I arrive on time, greeted by a beautiful woman who I think is Aussie. Gorgeous. Worth going just to stare into her bright blue eyes (to avoid staring at her chest and perfect ass).
After signing a multi-page disclosure, she takes me to a changing room to put on a robe, socks and gloves. Makes me even more nervous. They also give me a towel since it was raining on the way there – I’m told you need to be completely dry to prevent frost bite.
Next I’m guided to a lounge area to wait my turn where they serve cucumber flavored water. When it’s finally my turn, they take me into this futuristic contraption and for 3 minutes I am surrounded by what I am told is liquid nitrogen vapor (was advised not to breath it in).
It’s cold… a dry col. I couldn’t help but think how much colder Berlin felt in the winter…
Before I knew it was over. I emerge from this tank. 3 minutes went by in what felt like seconds.
I go back to the lounge area with the Aussie. She hands me more water and tells me about all the benefits I should be experiencing right now. She offers me time on their exercise bike to help get the blood flowing again, but I decline knowing I will be going to breaking class right after.
I feel… Nothing.
No endorphins, no blood rush, nothing. As I walk around I realize I am just as sore as I was when I arrived.
So for $90 I got to meet a beautiful Aussie, have some cucumber water and get cold for a few minutes. Gives me something to blog about I guess?
Do I recommend it: Yes! About as much as I recommend a once a day placebo.
