controlled cryo cooling
What It Does & Where It Helps
Ice therapy is effective for acute injury relief but has real limitations when used improperly. Ice shines for treating acute soft tissue injuries (sprains, strains, contusions) because:
- Vasoconstriction: Cold causes blood vessels to constrict, reducing blood flow to the injured area. Less blood flow means less swelling (edema) and less bleeding into the tissues.
- Reduced inflammation and pain: Cold reduces metabolic rate of injured tissues, slows enzymatic activity, slows nerve conduction (numbs pain).
- Symptom relief: Ice feels good; relief of heat, inflammation, swelling improves comfort and can help reduce secondary damage (from swelling pressing on nerves etc.).
This is, however, the opposite of what we need for whole-body cooling. Instead of extreme surface cold that shuts down circulation, effective systemic cooling requires targeting the body’s arteriovenous anastomoses (AVAs) at the correct temperature range, so heat can be exchanged safely and efficiently.
Where Ice Therapy Falls Short / Risks
Here’s why ice can be “too much” and where it fails when what you really want is efficient cooling without negative side effects:
- Surface vs deep tissue cooling: Ice primarily cools skin and very superficial tissues. To cool deeper tissues (muscle, tendons, joints) or especially the body’s core, more controlled, uniform cooling (or different modalities) is needed. Ice packs are local; cooling the body requires larger surface area, maybe different media (gas, whole‐body exposure), or direct interation with the body's AVA's..
- Overcooling dangers: Ice packs left on too long, directly on skin, or very low temps can cause frostbite-like damage or nerve damage. Also, too much vasoconstriction can starve tissues of oxygen and nutrients.
- Inflammation’s necessary role: Some swelling & inflammation is part of the healing cascade: cleaning out damaged cells, bringing in immune cells, starting repair. If you suppress that too much by cold, you can delay healing.
- Practical limitations: Ice may melt, be applied unevenly, require refilling between applications, can be uncomfortable; user compliance is variable. Also, maintaining safe exposure times is critical (usually < 20 minutes at a time).
A solution for safe & efficient cooling
Cryomedics products (Cryo-1 & Cryo packs) are designed to provide controlled cooling with safety and comfort in mind:
- Mechanism & control: Cryo‑1 allows for precise temperature regulation, targeting an effective cold range without overcooling or tissue damage.
- Faster, safer cooling / more comfort: Controlled delivery reduces risk of frostbite or nerve damage associated with ice cooling, increases comfort, and improves compliance.
- Working WITH the body: Importantly, by targeting the body’s arteriovenous anastomoses (AVAs) in the palms, Cryo‑1 circulates cooled blood throughout the body. This delivers an overall sense of cooling and ease—something ice cannot achieve—because ice overcools surface tissue and shuts down circulation instead of promoting safe systemic heat exchange.
References
- Wang, Z.R. (2021). Is it time to put traditional cold therapy in rehabilitation practice? Wang et al, 2021
- Emory Healthcare: Using Heat and Ice for Injury Treatment (emoryhealthcare.org)
- Bleakley, C.M. et al. (2012). The use of ice in the treatment of acute soft-tissue injury: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Bleakley et al 2004
- Boy’s Town National Research Hospital: When to Use Ice vs. Heat for Injuries(boystownhospital.org)
