For a Freeze & Squeeze, you spend three minutes in the cryotherapy cabinet at a temperature of around 200 degrees below zero. Then you return to room temperature and relax in a reclining chair wearing RecoveryPump pants for 15 to 30 minutes. You can usually complete an entire Freeze & Squeeze in about 40 minutes.
These two therapies work together effectively to speed recovery, increase relaxation, and improve both flexibility and range of motion. Let’s look at them individually first.
Whole-Body Cryotherapy
Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) takes advantage of two principles: 1) the cold in the cryo cabinet is instantaneous and 2) at three minutes, the process doesn’t take long enough for your thermoregulation processes to catch up. In effect, WBC bypasses your thermoregulation. Instead, when your body senses the extreme cold, it goes straight from thermoregulation to survival mode. While you are in the cryo cabinet, your body redirects your blood from your skin and extremities to your core, where it can warm and protect your vital organs. As it circulates in the core, the takes on oxygen, enzymes, and nutrients.
When you leave the cryo cabinet, and your body begins rewarming, the enriched blood flows back out from your core. This blood flow replaces damaged cells and eliminates dead ones. The result is a general rejuvenation.
Compression Therapy
Compression therapy works by stimulating your veins to return blood to your heart. Your arteries rely on the muscular contractions of your heart to pump blood throughout your body. But most of the propulsive force dissipates by the time the blood reaches the end of the line and starts its return. To return the blood to your heart, your system relies on contractions in your calf muscles, which is why ordinary walking can be so good for your cardiovascular system.
The veins are equipped with little one-way valves that also help the process by preventing the blood from flowing back. Compression socks take advantage of this principle by squeezing the veins to make it difficult for the blood to flow back.
But sequential pneumatic compression — the technology used in RecoveryPump — is an order of magnitude more effective than recovery socks. With sequential pneumatic compression garments, the compression is created by inflatable cells. The cells inflate progressively, so that the compression moves up the leg toward the heart.
Freeze & Squeeze
In Freeze & Squeeze, compression dramatically increases circulation. This magnifies the benefits of the rejuvenation resulting from the cryotherapy. In layman’s terms, it really gets the blood moving.
It was a Peak staffer, Mariah, who first suggested combining these two therapies. “I use the combo for both pre- and post-recovery,” she says. “The cryotherapy helps a lot with my areas of inflammation, allowing my painful or tight areas to relax. Then during the compression afterward, relaxation in my muscle groups is an essential key in increased range of motion and flexibility.”
If you think Freeze & Squeeze is for you, we want to make it easy for you to try. For a limited time, we are offering this combo service at $54. Call us at 603-402-4564 to check on availability. If you would rather book through our website, be sure to select “Bundles” when you are choosing the category of service.
