Whole Body Cryotherapy in Gilbert, AZ?
Well, not in my office and this is why……
According to CryoHealth..
“Clients report that the experience is invigorating and improves a variety of conditions such as psychological stress, insomnia, rheumatism, muscle and joint pain, and various skin conditions.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
But according to Science Based Medicine..
“Currently, however, the clinical research for the most plausible applications, muscle recover from exercise or injury and chronic joint inflammation, is lacking. In both cases there is insufficient evidence to warrant making clinical claims, and less extreme interventions are likely to be just as effective. There is room, however, for further high quality clinical research.
Mental health applications are less plausible, and only have the most preliminary of studies from a single group. High quality studies are necessary to take such claims seriously.
Other applications of WBC are progressively less plausible and completely lack evidence. There is absolutely no reason to recommend the treatment for a serious illness, like cancer, or for overall health. This, of course, makes it the perfect spa treatment.
As always, with any treatment we need to consider risks vs benefit. The benefits are unproven, and in some cases implausible. There is insufficient rationale for treatment to justify any significant risk. The research is just as lacking on risks as it is on benefits, and it does not seem reasonable to assume such an extreme treatment is risk free.
WBC has now caused at least one death (even if accidental). That stands against the relative lack of evidence for any benefit.”
According to this study…
“Although there is some evidence that WBC improves the perception of recovery and soreness after various sports and exercise, this does not seem to translate into enhanced functional recovery. Only one study has focused on recovery after significant musculoskeletal injury, and long-term implications are unclear. Until further research is available, athletes should remain cognizant that less expensive modes of cryotherapy, such as local ice-pack application or CWI, offer comparable physiological and clinical effects to WBC.”
From Medical Press…
“No evidence that whole-body cryotherapy enhances athletes’ recovery”
“Dr Minett said the review panel concluded there was insufficient evidence to determine whether WBC reduces self-reported muscle soreness or improves subjective recovery after exercise when compared with passive rest or no WBC.”
“The lack of evidence on adverse effects on the athletes is concerning because exposure to extreme temperature presents a potential hazard,” he said.
“Until there is definitive evidence that WBC lives up to its claims, it might just be an expensive, uncomfortable fad.”
So, until I see more research I will just tell my patients to save their money and use a simple ice bath or try something like the Cool Fat Burner Vest.
Dr. Jeff Banas
