11/01/2011
Whole Body Cryotherapy initially originated in Japan in 1978 but it was a group of Polish scientists who took the idea and made Whole Body Cryotherapy the effective physical therapy it is today. The Olympic rehabilitation centre in Spala, Poland opened in May 2000 and has been used as a training and injury rehabilitation centre for many sporting bodies including the Irish rugby squad and many premiership soccer clubs. Advanced Cryo Care offers both team and individual training and rehabilitation facilities.
“..The benefits of Cryotherapy are instant. They begin with the feeling of being glad to be alive and soon become more scientifically sports-related. Once I stopped shivering I could feel a rush of blood through my arms and legs. A rush of energy came with it. It could have been just me but I also felt an intoxicated sense of well-being”
Ian O’Riordan, Irish Times Sport
Whole Body Cryotherapy is the stimulating use of extremely low temperatures below minus 110 degrees Celsius. The chamber works by cooling the entire skin surface of the body in order to develop defensive reflexes and reactions such as stimulation of blood circulation, endocrine system, the immune system and the central nervous system. Such stimulation makes the therapy beneficial to a range of conditions.
The therapy stimulates the temperature receptors in the skin to communicate with the brain. The brain then transmits messages throughout the body causing the peripheral blood vessels to constrict redirecting the blood to the core of the body to conserve heat. Once the treatment is over the same blood is pumped vigorously back around the body. The enhanced blood supply that Whole Body Cryotherapy stimulates increases the oxygen and nutrient supply to areas that need revitalizing.
The extreme cold also stimulates the body's hormone system to secrete enhanced levels of endorphins and adrenaline. The immune system is enhanced by increased production of lymphocytes. Better communication between the Central Nervous System and the muscle groups is stimulated by Whole Body Cryotherapy.
Cryotherapy in Sport
There have been countless studies into the benefits of Cryotherapy within the sporting field. The benefits observed are:
Reduction of pain
Increase in muscle strength
Increase in performance
Reduction in the regeneration phase
Inhibition of inflammation
Immunomodulation
Improvement of joint function
Decrease in muscle tension over longer application
Reduction of post traumatic treatment
Overall faster return to training
Sport Injuries
Whole Body Cryotherapy causes inhibition of inflammation which results in a reduction of pain and swelling. This reduction in pain and swelling improves joint function which enables therapists to progress treatment quicker and results in an overall sooner return to play.
Recovery from intense exercise
Whole Body Cryotherapy helps the body recover after intense exercise by flushing out the muscles and delivering oxygen and nutrients to the muscles.
Enhancement of sporting performance
Whole Body Cryotherapy can also be used as part of a training program to enhance sporting performance. Whole Body Cryotherapy increases muscular resistance to fatigue and also the muscles capacity to regenerate. This results in an overall increase muscular performance.
Rehabilitation Facilities
As well as offering the world class Cryotherapy Clinic we offer many other facilities that are pivotal in the rehabilitation process. Clients of the Advanced Cryo Care can avail of rehabilitation programs for all types of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. A rehabilitation specialist will be at hand to take clients through their individual programs, safely tailoring the program to the clients needs.
Team Facilities
We cater for teams and large groups. We will work in co-operation with the teams own professionals and cater for specific team bookings. Facilities provided for teams include:
Cryotherapy Clinic
Cubicles for physiotherapy & relaxation area
Hydrotherapy pool incorporating high & low pressure massage jets
Individual physiotherapy rooms available for team physiotherapists
Sports Training Facility
We provide a state of the art Fitness Centre specifically designed for professional teams and athletes.
Cryotherapy being used to treat Psoriasis
It is hard to over-exaggerate the value of Cryotherapy in the treatment of psoriasis. When the plaque has lost its internal ‘root’ as a result of our treatment, then a drop in temperature for just 180 seconds: from +20 at room temperature to -150 in the liquid nitrogen steam, results in the plaque losing its grip and eventually to its complete disappearance. Any physical body reacts to cold by shrinking the skin and this literally cuts the base from the psoriasis plaque. At the same time the sharp drop in blood flow to the superficial capillaries deprives the plaque of its sustenance. After the cryo sauna, when the shrunken blood vessels rapidly begin to widen again, the psoriasis plaque is even further weakened.
Over the course of a few sessions of this process of ‘shrinking and widening’ the psoriasis plaque completely disappears.
