Kriotherapy is an intense dry cold treatment proven to beneficially stimulate blood circulation, the hormone, immune and central nervous system.
I’ve been lucky enough to try this out. In a nutshell, it’s like walking around in a huge restaurant freezer for 3 minutes at -135oC. You are dressed in fetching white or blue terry towelling ‘like’ shorts and for women, a tank top as well. This leaves the midriff and shoulders bare, while the arms and legs are dressed in long socks and bandages. This is to prevent the extremities from getting too cold. The ‘clothing’ is made from 100% natural fibres as anything synthetic freezes. You are also given a headband to wear over your forehead and ears. Once you are dressed, a mask is put over your nose and mouth to protect the nasal cavity and lips from freezing! Then it’s time for the white clogs. Not having seen these since a trip to Amsterdam 9 years ago, I’m well amused and have a silly grin on my face.
Minus 135C won’t kill you immediately because air is a poor conductor of cold. If you stay inside for three minutes it will only chill the outside layers of your body, not your internal organs. Liquid nitrogen or oxygen has been used to chill the air to minus 135C
It is, as you’d expect, absolutely freezing. The cold air stings and my first instinct is to hug myself, but the instructor on the other side of the door is doing the funky chicken dance insisting that I do same.
“You have to let the cold get to your body,” she says. Instead she tells me to stamp my feet and shake my arms. After ten seconds, they open the vacuum-sealed door to the main, minus 120C chamber. More funky chicken including squats (air is colder at the bottom).
Not at any point am I seriously tempted to grab the large handle on the exit door and make a run for it, but I’m sure the other woman is when she grabs onto the rail! Nope, squats to do!
In the cold, my peripheral blood vessels will have contracted to try to maintain my body’s temperature.
On leaving the chamber, they will have expanded to around four times their normal size, and the fact that my face is bright red is proof that my blood is pumping faster, delivering more nutrients and oxygen to the organs.
After the session I take a ten-minute ride on an exercise bike to boost this effect. Pedalling feels the same as it would normally although I’m warmer. Then it is time for limbering those slow to respond muscles on the Vibrogym/Vibrating plate for a few minutes to bring me back to normal.
Afterwards, I feel very relaxed. The pain in my arms from moving house and painting still exists however after a few more sessions I am assured that it would be eliminated altogether. This is because the treatment can trigger endorphins, resulting in analgesia (immediate pain relief).
One week on, a lot of sleep and supporting nutrients and I’m feeling fantastic with a lot more available energy!
Both hands up for this being a supportive alkalising therapy.