Cryotherapy, also commonly referred to as cold therapy, is a technique that applies extremely cold temperature on the body for a certain amount of time. It can be done on the entire body or a certain area that has an injury. Cold therapy can be applied in different ways such as ice packs, ice baths, coolant sprays, and ice massages.
The most popular way of using cold therapy is through putting an ice pack on the injured muscle or taking a cold ice bath. Many people dislike using an ice pack, as it turns into liquid before providing a positive impact and it becomes very messy. Taking an ice bath can be seen in many athletes’ routines due to its incredible benefits, but since it is difficult to handle for most people they choose to take a cold shower every morning instead.
The downside to that method is that the temperature of a cold bath is not enough to turn it into cold therapy. Luckily, there are ways to include cold therapy into your daily routine by using products such as Cryo Cuff at home.
What are the benefits of cold therapy?
Cold therapy will provide benefits from doing a single session, but using it regularly will improve your health immensely.
Some of its benefits are:
Reduces arthritis pain
People who are in constant pain from arthritis have discovered great results when using cold therapy. Doctors are recommending occasional cold therapy for patients who suffer from arthritis pain to get the best pain relieving effects.
Improve your immune system
Cold therapy helps to awaken the lymphatic system and encourages it to get rid of the body’s waste more efficiently. When cold therapy begins to push your lymphatic system to work harder, it triggers the immune system’s white blood cells to fight the fluid that carries toxins, infections, and diseases.
Stimulate blood flow
Proper circulation throughout your body is crucial for your overall health and well-being. When the blood is not flowing efficiently, it will lead to feeling fatigue, suffering from headaches, and making your muscles cramp.
Cold therapy can stimulate the blood flow in the entire body by effectively encouraging your heart to pump to vital organs.
Other benefits cold therapy provides are pain relieving effects for runner’s knee, lower back pain, pain and swelling under a cast or splint, pain and swelling after hip or knee surgery, and sprains.
How do I apply cold therapy?
Cold therapy offers many therapeutic properties, but it is important to use it correctly to avoid further damage. Putting cold items directly on the skin will act as a pain reliever but it could harm your skin. The proper way of applying cold therapy is by wrapping the cold object in a towel or a t-shirt to prevent it from damaging the skin.
Place the cold item on your injured muscle for 10 to 20 minutes each session. You can apply cold therapy several times a day to get the best results from it.