Cryotherapy explained
How cold therapy is used by athletes and active individuals
Cryotherapy benefits, recovery uses and what to know
Cold therapy is a fixture in athlete recovery rooms, and plenty of people use it after hard training or competition. This guide covers what cryotherapy involves and how it stacks up against compression boots and massage guns.
What is cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy means applying extreme cold to the body, either in a whole body chamber or as a localized treatment aimed at one area at a time.
Cryotherapy benefits for recovery
Cold therapy is used to manage soreness and inflammation after hard training. Here is what athletes typically reach for it to do.
Why athletes use cryotherapy
Cold therapy is standard recovery for serious athletes
Fitting cold into a training week
Sessions are short, so they slot in between hard training days without eating into your schedule
Circulation and blood flow
Cold exposure forces blood out, then fresh circulation rushes back in when you warm up
Soreness after workouts
Delayed onset muscle soreness is the thing most athletes are trying to manage when they use cold after a session
Post-game and post-workout routine
Many athletes use cryo immediately after competition or intense training to start recovery right away
Cryotherapy vs compression boots
The two work differently, cost differently, and fit into a week differently. Choose based on your needs and budget.
Cryotherapy vs massage guns
Both aid recovery but target different problems. Cryotherapy handles inflammation, massage guns address muscle tension.
Risks and safety considerations
Cryotherapy is safe for most athletes, but certain conditions make it risky. Know the limits before you start.
Avoid if you have Raynaud's syndrome or cold allergies
Check with your doctor if you have heart or circulation issues
Skin numbness and frostbite are rare but possible with extreme cold
Best recovery tools to pair with cryotherapy
Layer your recovery. Combine cryotherapy with compression and massage for complete muscle care.
NormaTec compression boots
Sequential compression moves fluid through your legs zone by zone. Use it after cryotherapy as part of a full leg recovery routine.
Therabody JetBoots
Dynamic air compression for the legs, with app control over the session. Pair it with cryotherapy as part of a wider recovery routine.
Theragun massage gun
Percussive therapy breaks up muscle tension after inflammation subsides. Use this after cryotherapy and compression for full recovery.
Questions
Find answers to common questions about cryotherapy, recovery methods, and choosing the right tool for your needs.
Cold exposure triggers vasoconstriction, narrowing the blood vessels near the skin and numbing the area it reaches. When you warm up afterward, those vessels open again and blood flow returns to the area.
Cryotherapy is generally safe for healthy athletes, but it's not for everyone. People with certain heart conditions, Raynaud's syndrome, or cold allergies should avoid it. Always check with a doctor first.
Yes. Many athletes layer recovery tools—cryotherapy for inflammation, compression boots for circulation, massage guns for muscle tension. Each addresses recovery differently, so combining them can work well.
Frequency varies from athlete to athlete. Most use it after intense training or competition rather than on a fixed weekly schedule, and more sessions do not automatically mean a better outcome. Listen to your body and adjust based on how you feel.
Whole body cryotherapy exposes your entire body to extreme cold in a chamber, for a session length the facility sets. Localized cryo targets specific areas like legs or arms. Whole body is the more intense and the more expensive of the two.
Cryotherapy chambers reach colder temperatures than an ice bath and run for a shorter time, which many people find easier to sit through. Ice baths are cheaper and you can set one up at home, but they take longer and feel more brutal. Access and cost usually decide it.
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