Body

We Tried Cryotherapy and Here's What Happened

Is freezing your butt off really good for you?

by Hannah Savin | COMMENT

PHOTO 0/7

I'd been considering cryotherapy for some time now thanks to an old gym injury that has left me with chronic pain in my lower back. After trying chiropractic adjustments, yoga, stretching (basically anything non-surgical), I just assumed it was something I was going to deal with on a regular basis. Just about everything I've tried seemed to be a temporary fix and I would end up with my back throbbing, yet again.

I decided to book an appointment at CryoZone Santa Monica to better understand all the hype surrounding cryotherapy. While I was there, I met with one of the founders, Joshua Montross, who gave me some insight into the company and its mission. Montross' family has been importing cryotherapy machines for years and finally decided to make cryo services more accessible to people by opening up their own studios.

Montross became a firm believer in the power of cryotherapy after a car accident left him with pain and stiffness in his neck, hands and knees that would not go away. Intense back to back treatments followed by maintenance sessions have gotten him feeling back to his pre-accident self. This left me intrigued and wondering how it would help me.

Being someone who is cold all the time, I definitely wondered how I would fare in the cryo chamber. Would it be a painful, jarring experience or would it be something soothing and help to ease my back pain? Being an avid gym-goer and all-around active person who hates being in pain, I decided to try it for myself. Follow my two-week journey as I tried cryotherapy.

Image via Getty

SEE NEXT PAGE: What is Cryotherapy?

EDITORS' BEST OF

12 Best Acne Products for Your Clearest Skin Yet

11 Best Tinted Moisturizers for Easy, On-the-Go Coverage