Cryotherapy after skiing!!???!!

[dovski]

So had a pretty intense ski day yesterday (at least for me). Skied bell to bell and got in 18 runs and about 24K vert on challenging terrain at Alpental. Decided to try Cryotherapy to see if it speeds up muscle recovery. In theory it does, and many athletes use it regularly ... kind of the modern version of an ice bath. Found a Groupon for Restore Hyper Wellness so heading over in an hour to give this a try. Will absolutely report back on my experience, but was curious if anyone else has tried Cryotherapy. Assume it is more effective immediately after athletics but will see what it can do for me the day after.

This place is on the drive back from our local mountain, so it this works, a 10 min Cryo stop on the way home may become part of our ski routine every now and then.

 

[scott43]

Are you saying beer and the hot tub are no longer the best way to recover?!?!? Well I may as well just quit skiing...

 

[crgildart]

Are you saying beer and the hot tub are no longer the best way to recover?!?!? Well I may as well just quit skiing...

THIS X7934905793045703947509347.......

 

[dovski]

Are you saying beer and the hot tub are no longer the best way to recover?!?!? Well I may as well just quit skiing...

I am just saying if you want ice cold beer you may need a cryo chamber lol

Joking aside, I just had my first session. Apparently I spent 3 minutes at between -215 and -230 degrees F. Truthfully it did not feel that cold and they suggested I try the "Pro" mode next time that goes even colder. I will say that after the session my legs did feel less fatigued but that could just be from walking around too. Definitely did not feel as cold as that time @BS Slarver took us skiing at Big Sky in -25F.

All joking aside the science around sports recovery is interesting and worthwhile. We are now seeing the consumer version of what you might find in a pro-sports team facility popping up all over the place. The place I visited has a menu of sports recovery treatments plus IV therapies. You could do everything but it gets super expensive very quickly and I am not sure how much I would personally benefit from Hyperbaric Oxgen Therapy or Intramuscular Shots. I have four Cryotherapy sessions left on my Groupon so plan to use those at the colder setting and will see if there are any benefits

PS next time I will see how cold my beer gets in the chamber so I don't have to drink warm beer in the hot tub afterwards lol

 

[crgildart]

How about getting out of the hot tub and diving in to the snow and running back to the hot tub?

 

[coskigirl]

I’ve done many ice baths after running and cycling and found them to be beneficial but never skiing. Probably because I am often chilled to the bone after skiing.

 

[Scruffy]

I found this pretty informative:

 

[geepers]

I found this pretty informative:

Over 2 hours Is there some edited highlights? Or maybe a couple of long-ish tweets?

A google search shows the evidence on ice bath benefits to be pretty sketchy. They may (or may not) help recovery, depending on whether the exercise is strength building or endurance. They may (or may not) interfere with the body's repair signals to damage and may (or may not) slow muscle growth.

Example. And it's for a very small sample.

https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP278996

 

[crgildart]

Every doc and physical therapist I've worked with seems to suggest cycling heat/ice/heat/ice. So back to hot tub, dive in the snow bank, hop back in the hot tub..

 

[cantunamunch]

yes, but that's for cycling

At least you're not lying on the floor with your legs up the wall ...

 

[Scruffy]

Over 2 hours Is there some edited highlights? Or maybe a couple of long-ish tweets?

A google search shows the evidence on ice bath benefits to be pretty sketchy. They may (or may not) help recovery, depending on whether the exercise is strength building or endurance. They may (or may not) interfere with the body's repair signals to damage and may (or may not) slow muscle growth.

Example. And it's for a very small sample.

https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP278996

haha... 2 hrs but I found it worth it. I was tuning skis while listening. Huberman is a neurobiologist from Stanford U. if that's worth anything. Then there's Wim Hof for the anecdotal.

 

[François Pugh]

I don't know about recovery, but a double scotch and a hot tub sure make you feel better (gave up the scotch, but still do the hot bath after freezing if I didn't dress warm enough (seldom happens now). Ice bath? No thanks!

 

[dovski]

So I must admit day 2 after the treatment I did notice a substantial difference/improvement ... there may be something to this science stuff after all .... then again it could also be the scotch ...might as well do both