The therapeutic effects of ice have been known for a long time – and cryotherapy is one of the simplest methods of treating injuries and muscle inflammation. And what are the benefits of cryotherapy for muscle recovery and their better performance, find out in this text.
What Is Cryotherapy And How Does It Work?
Cryotherapy is a method that involves the use of low temperatures to treat injuries and remove pain. There are several methods based on exploiting the positive effects of cold on tissues. The effect that we first feel after applying ice is to reduce pain – that is, the analgesic effect. In addition, cooling the tissues narrows the blood vessels, slows down the metabolism – and reduces the inflammatory reaction and pain at the site of injury. So in this chain of reactions, one thing leads to another.
Benefits Of Cryotherapy For Recovery And Better Performance Of Your Muscles
We have already pointed out that in contact with low temperatures – our tissues begin to react. Better blood circulation is encouraged, metabolism is accelerated, and pain is reduced. Of course, to be exposed to cryotherapy, you should still consult your doctor, because you do not want to have a negative effect due to some associated diseases from which you may suffer. However, such situations rarely happen. Therefore, we will point out some of the benefits of cryotherapy for your muscles and their better performance.
1. Cryotherapy reduces muscle pain
At a time when most of us exercise and spend a lot of time in the gym – it is clear that such situations have become part of everyday life. Just think how many times have you had muscle pain due to inflammation – or because you may have overworked yourself in the gym? Cryotherapy has an extremely beneficial effect in these situations. Namely, when the temperature of our skin decreases by only 10 degrees, we can already feel the effect. Why? It is, because cryo therapy with its reduced temperature inhibits pain sensors in our muscles, returning our body to chemical balance. This also slows down the signals that the body sends to our brain – and it reduces the pain we felt.
2. You will recover more quickly after strenuous exercise
Cryotherapy under the influence of low temperatures also lowers our body temperature – which in practice reduces our requirements for heat. The fact it reduces our heat requirements means that we use less energy to regulate the temperature of our muscles. This also means that our muscles will relax more easily after a hard workout or long-term effort.
3. Muscles are starting to get better performance
If we were to observe our muscles on a microscopic level – we would be very surprised by the entire process of cell functioning. This process, otherwise called biogenesis, is a process in which our muscle cells adapt to the increased needs of the body – or the effort to which we are exposing it. On the other hand, it speeds up the reproduction of mitochondria in muscle tissue cells – which means the faster gaining of energy. Cryotherapy helps in the process of biogenesis, which means that your muscles will be more efficient in energy production – and that’s why muscle performance will improve.
Conclusion
For faster regeneration, it is especially important to reduce muscle tone – that is, a spasmolytic effect which has a beneficial effect on the blood supply to muscles and other soft tissues after cooling. We should know that the main indication for the application of ice is acute, fresh injury, or muscle strain. You should also know that it is advisable to avoid direct ice pressure on the skin – due to the possibility of developing frostbite.