Should I have cryotherapy before or after exercise?
You may have heard about cryotherapy and its benefits but don’t understand what it is? This blog explains what cryotherapy is, the benefits and how it can help performance.
What is cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy involves exposing the body to extremely cold temperatures for a short period, typically using electric or nitrogen chambers, ice baths or ice compression garments. This therapy has gained popularity in various fields, including sports medicine, for its potential benefits in reducing inflammation, enhancing recovery, and improving performance.
In the realm of sports, athletes are constantly seeking ways to optimize their performance and gain a competitive edge. One emerging method that has garnered attention is cryotherapy.
What are the different types of cryotherapy?
Cryo Chamber
There are two main types of cryotherapy chambers:
Electric – Whole body exposure, which activates the central nervous system and releases fresh oxygenated air.
Nitrogen – Liquid nitrogen exposure (ventilation required). Partial body exposure, which mainly targets lower extremities compared to the electric which targets the whole body.
Ice Baths
Ice Baths are a very popular cryotherapy method done by immersing yourself in a bath of ice or ice-water until it reaches your desired temperature for a limited duration of time. You can use a thermometer to monitor the temperature. This training regimen has many health benefits, including: muscle recovery, reduced inflammation, improved mood, better sleep etc.
Game Ready
Game ready offers the simultaneous delivery of both intermittent compression and adjustable cold therapy in one easy-to-use unit. This helps to decrease pain, muscle spasms and swelling as well as stimulating tissue healing by increasing blood flow to the injured area.
What are the benefits of cryotherapy in sport?
- Pain Relief: cryotherapy can reduce existing pain or discomfort allowing athletes to perform better
- Reduces Inflammation: cryotherapy help reduce inflammation by constricting blood vessels and decreasing blood flow to the affected area. This can help athletes to feel more agile and less encumbered by muscle stiffness or soreness
- Reduce Muscle Soreness: Pre-game cryotherapy has been suggested to help reduce muscle soreness. The cold temperatures help to flush out any lactic acid in the muscles and replacing it with new oxygenated blood which helps to reduce muscle fatigue and soreness
- Psychological benefits: cryotherapy sessions can help to reduce stress, enhance mood and relax athletes. It has also been found cryotherapy enhances mental readiness.
How does cryotherapy enhance performance?
Improving Blood Circulation: Exposure to cold temperatures before activity can increase blood circulation and oxygen delivery to muscles. This enhanced blood flow may help warm up muscles and improve performance.
Increasing Energy Levels: Some athletes suggest that cryotherapy before a game can boost energy levels. The exposure to cold temperatures may activate the sympathetic nervous system, leading to increased alertness and a potential energy boost. This could be advantageous for athletes looking to enhance their focus and performance on the field.
Enhanced Physical Performance: Post-cryotherapy, players exhibit improved agility, speed, and muscle recovery compared to baseline measurements. The exposure to extreme cold temperatures triggers vasoconstriction, reducing inflammation and promoting faster muscle repair, thereby enhancing overall physical performance (Pournot et al., 2011)
Mental Readiness: Athlete’s report feeling more focused, energized, and mentally prepared after cryotherapy. The release of endorphins induced by the cold exposure contributes to a heightened sense of well-being and mental clarity, crucial for peak performance on the field (Hausswirth et.al, 2013)
Enhanced recovery: Cryotherapy helps to remove waste products from the body which will help to reduce delayed-onset muscles soreness (DOMS).
Should I have cryotherapy before or after exercise?
Before Exercise
Potential Benefits: Cryotherapy might help reduce inflammation and numb any existing pain, potentially allowing for a more comfortable workout if you are dealing with minor injuries or soreness.
Considerations: Using cryotherapy right before exercise could temporarily reduce muscle strength and performance because of the cold’s impact on muscle function. It’s generally recommended to wait at least 1-2 hours after cryotherapy before engaging in intense exercise to allow the muscles to warm up and regain normal function
After Exercise
Post-exercise: Cryotherapy can be done immediately or within a few hours after your workout to maximise recovery benefits.
Pournot et al., 2011 found that heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen uptake, ventilation and blood metabolics were all reduced after a cryotherapy intervention after exercise showing cryotherapy enhances post-exercise recovery.
Ultimately, the best approach depends on how your body responds and your specific fitness goals. If unsure, consulting with a fitness or medical professional can provide personalized guidance.
How can I incorporate cryotherapy into my training/ routine?
Consistency is key when we are talking cryotherapy. Incorporating cryotherapy into your routine has been shown to hold a lot of benefits whether you chose a professional cryotherapy session or at home methods.
Below are some ways you can incorporate cryotherapy into your training or day to day life:
Cryotherapy Chambers
Commonly used for whole-body cryotherapy (WBC), where the client is exposed to cold temperatures for a short duration of time to reduce inflammation, pain, and promote recovery.
The session length for cryotherapy chamber is usually between 3-5 minutes. The session length can vary depending on the individual’s tolerance and response to the cold.
Average temperature typically ranges between -85 to -110 degrees
Cryotherapy chambers are well researched and been proven to accelerate muscle recovery, suppress acute inflammation and reduce soreness. (Kwiecien and McHugh, 2021)
Cryotherapy tools
Ice packs, ice rollers, game ready and cryo-cuffs these are applied to a specific area of injury
Ice applied to the injury immediately after the occurrence has been found to provide a local analgesic effect (Mac Auley, 2001) restrict oedema formation (Meeusen and Livens, 1986) in sprains, strains, fractures and soft tissue injuries. (Kwiecien and McHugh, 2021)
Localised Cryotherapy
Local Cryotherapy involves targeting specific areas of the body with extremely cold temperatures, rather than exposing the entire body. This treatment focuses on treating localized pain, inflammation, or injuries.
The temperature for the localized area is exposed to ranges between -25 to -42 degrees.
Sessions usually last between 5-10 minutes, depending on the treatment area or specific goal.
Ice baths
The typical duration for using an Ice bath should be between 10-15 minutes to reduce muscle soreness and inflammation without risking potential negative effects from prolonged exposure to cold.
The water temperature should generally be between 10 to 15 degrees.
With ice baths you should ease into them gradually to let your body acclimatise to the cold water
Focus on breathing to help stay calm and control the shock response that ice water triggers
Park et al., 1999 found that water submersion enhances 02 availability to muscles, removal of waste products and assist exercise tolerance.
In conclusion…
In conclusion, the incorporation of cryotherapy pre-game demonstrates promising benefits for athletes. Not only does cryotherapy enhance physical performance by improving agility and muscle recovery, but is also enhances mental readiness, fostering a focused and energized mind-set.
On the other hand, the incorporation of cryotherapy after post-game can be a valuable tool for enhancing recovery, improving performance, and maintaining overall health and well-being. However, it is essential to use cryotherapy appropriately and consult with healthcare professionals to ensure it is right and suitable for your needs and conditions. With cryotherapy is important to not overdo it, listen to your body and gradually build length of exposure up over time.
£20 off your first session in the cryochamber at Cryojuvenate, Sevenoaks
