For both muscle growth and repair, solid hydration and proper rest are crucial. Lack one or both, and you may experience delayed recovery and worsening symptoms concerning your muscle tissue.
Sometimes, however, hydration and rest aren’t “enough” for quick muscle recovery. The body may still struggle to keep up. Whether you’re in a time crunch or simply want relief as soon as possible, cryotherapy is a non-invasive wellness service capable of speeding up the recovery of fatigued, stiff, achy, or damaged muscle tissue.
Here are some benefits of cryotherapy and how it can ultimately help with muscle recovery:
Boosts Blood Circulation
One of the reasons for muscle injury delays is due to poor blood circulation, often due to tight tissue or a result of a lack of physical movement. Waste buildup in the tissues not adequately managed by your lymphatic system, too, can make it hard for fresh blood flow to circulate.
The cold temperature of cryotherapy can help manage stagnant blood flow by temporarily redirecting blood flow mid-session, followed by rapid dilatation of the blood vessels once returning to room temperature after the session is over.
Aids with Recovery
Recovering from a muscle injury can take anywhere from a day or two to weeks. This not only depends on where the muscle injury is and how severe it is, but also on how capable your body is to engage in repair and recovery.
Thanks to a fresh flow of blood after a cryotherapy session, this can improve the body’s ability to engage in tissue repair. Cryotherapy also reduces inflammation, which can reduce fluid buildup in the tissues to make room for nutrients and repair cells at the site of injury.
Relieves Pain
One of the worst parts of having a muscle-related injury is dealing with the pain. It can range from dull and achy to sharp and throbbing. Either way, the pain can be restricting and distracting.
Cryotherapy can help manage pain in multiple ways. The cold air alone can temporarily “tone down” nerve cells to bring pain relief. It can also reduce fluid buildup and inflammation, which can otherwise worsen pain. With feel-good endorphins released, this can also trigger the nervous system to temporarily relax, leading to less pain.
Improves Mood
You might be thinking, “What does my mood have to do with my sore muscle tissue?” A lot, actually.
Stress, anger, and anxiety are often known to contribute to tense muscles, which can exacerbate pain and delay healing, even if your mood isn’t the sole cause of your muscle injury. On the other hand, when one is calm, this can encourage the muscles to remain in a relaxed or balanced state, leading to less pain.
Because the extreme cold provided by cryotherapy has been shown to release feel-good hormones called endorphins, as well as mood-regulating norepinephrine, this service has the potential to induce relaxation and alleviate stress, which may be worsening your muscle pain.
Have questions about our wellness services? Call Recovery Lab today to learn more about what we offer.
