Does Cryotherapy Help Muscle Recovery?

Does Cryotherapy Help Muscle Recovery?

Are you an athlete or exercise enthusiast that has been using cryotherapy to help your muscles recover? If so, read on to find out how cryotherapy is actually affecting your muscles.

Introduction:

What is cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy is a range of applications using cold temperatures as a way of healing. This can include ice, ice with compression, cold-water immersion (ice baths), or dry cryotherapy chambers. Dry cryotherapy chambers are a room which is brought to an extremely low temperature.

What is cryotherapy used for?

Cryotherapy has been claimed to be beneficial in a variety of ways, including but not limited to injury recovery and promotion of healing, muscle recovery following exercise to prevent soreness, and as an everyday activity for improvement of general health. This research is going to dive into the effects on muscle recovery after exercise.

What research has to say:

Research shows that cryotherapy does not provide any benefits by increasing muscle recovery.

• A study by Machado showed that there was no increase in muscle force output, peak torque, or performance following cold-water immersion compared to people who did not participate

• A study by Kusuma provided evidence that blood lactate levels were reduced faster following cold-water immersion but ratings of perceived soreness remained unchanged
• lactate is a byproduct of metabolism during exercise that increases the pH in the muscles and causes soreness.
• A study by Crystal found that recovery using cryotherapy had no effect on strength, soreness, or swelling following a downhill run

Practical Applications:

Based on the findings from this research, a practical application for the use of cryotherapy is to reduce the use of cryotherapy because benefits from cryotherapy have not been found.

In Conclusion:

Cryotherapy is continuously used to help reduce muscle soreness by Athletic Trainers, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and athletes because it is thought to be beneficial by reducing muscle soreness and increasing muscle strength for the next exercise session. Contrary to popular belief, cryotherapy is not found to be useful in muscle recovery following exercise. As the research shows, cryotherapy does not provide the physiological or psychological benefits that are claimed by many people.

Additional Resources:

For more information on what cryotherapy is and what is can be used for read here.

Read here to find out what the FDA has to say about cryotherapy.

Other risks and benefits of cryotherapy can be read about here.

About the Author:

Zach is a senior at Westfield State University, majoring in Sports Medicine and Human Performance with a concentration in Sports Medicine and a minor in Chemistry and Business Management. Zach is a four-year student-athlete as a part of the men’s soccer team and plans to continue an active lifestyle. Zach aspires to attend medical school following his graduation from WSU to become an Orthopedic Surgeon. Zach can be contacted at zachsoucy24@gmail.com.

References:

Commissioner, O. of the. (2019). Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC): A “Cool” Trend that Lacks Evidence, Poses Risks. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/whole-body-cryotherapy-wbc-cool-trend-lacks-evidence-poses-risks

Kusuma, M., Nanang Himawan, Komarudin, Suhartoyo, T., Listiandi, A., Nugroho, D., Baskoro, N., & Putro. (2021). Original Article Effect of cold water and contrast immersion on physiological and psychological responses of elite athletes after high-intensity exercises. Journal of Physical Education and Sport ® (JPES), 21(6), 3278–3287. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2021.s6446

Machado, A. F., Almeida, A. C., Micheletti, J. K., Vanderlei, F. M., Tribst, M. F., Netto Junior, J., & Pastre, C. M. (2016). Dosages of cold-water immersion post exercise on functional and clinical responses: a randomized controlled trial. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 27(11), 1356–1363. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12734

Villines, Z. (2017, October 19). Cryotherapy: Safety, What to expect, and Benefits. Www.medicalnewstoday.com. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319740

What Is Whole-Body Cryotherapy? (2020). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/what-is-whole-body-cryotherapy