Whole-body cryotherapy is a treatment used for various conditions, especially rheumatological disease. In sports medicine, whole-body cryotherapy is known to encourage recovery from muscular traumas, although well-controlled studies have not been published. The treatment is not dangerous for lung function and does not decrease antioxidant capacity. In whole-body cryotherapy, the subjects, wearing minimal clothing, are exposed to very cold air: a period of 30 seconds at -60°C and, later, a period of 2 minutes at -110°C. Despite the high cold stress, subjects exposed to such a treatment report improvement in general well-being, pain and inflammation. The effects of whole-body cryotherapy on haematological parameters have not been previously studied. Any beneficial effects might encourage possible illicit use of the technique among professional athletes.
© Copyright 2008 British Journal of Sports Medicine. BMJ Publishing Group Ltd of the BMA. All rights reserved.