The application of cold triggers three basic reactions.

1. At the cellular level - metabolic responses of the cells are reduced, causing the cells to need less oxygen to function, thereby suffering less hypoxic injury.

2. The permeability of the blood vessel walls are decreased, reducing the amount of fluid which accumulates in the injured area.

3. The cold numbs the injured area, acting as a topic analgesic.

The best thing about the cold is that it does not override the beneficial effects of the body’s natural healing process.

The salt concentration of the water has a positive impact on healing, drawing away fluid which accumulates on the site of the injury. Additionally, salt water acts as a natural sanitister - healing injuries more quickly while reducing the risk of injury.

The greater the depth of the water, the greater the pressure exerted on the tissue. This aids the dispersal of the accumulated fluid, acting as a compression garment would.

The aeration of the water has a two-fold effect: increasing dissolved oxygen levels of the water, and the turbulence massages the muscle. It is thought that increased oxygen levels aids the healing process, while the turbulence and massage effect disperses the fluid and ensures a more penetrating cold.

The therapeutic effect of the CryoSpa is impacted by temperature and time. The colder the unit, the less time required to reap the benefits of the therapeutic effects. While it may take 10 to 15, or even 20 minutes to achieve this effect in traditional ice baths, when using the CryoSpa you can reduce this time to between 3 and 6 minutes. This is due to the digitally controlled temperature, kept at a constant level, and the conduction and convection of the jets, which create a ‘wind chill’ effect.

Cold water immersion and ice baths help to reduce tissue swelling due to muscle breakdown and micro tears which occur during intense exercise and physical activity. Additionally, they are extremely useful to control inflammation. While some inflammation can be beneficial to recovery and the body, too much can result in secondary injury and hypoxic injury.

Mechanisms include aiding normalisation of body temperature, flushing out the muscles, a decrease in metabolic activity, and balancing of sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, reducing muscle damage.

Contrast bathing is the process of immersion into cold-water, in this case the CryoSpa, followed by immersion into hot-water such as a jacuzzi. The idea is that the hot water causes vasodilation of the blood vessels, while the cold water causes vasoconstriction. These processes cause a pumping effect in the body, which increases circulation.

In practice, this would involve use of the CryoSpa for 1-3 minutes, followed by the jacuzzi for the same period of time. Repeated for several cycles, often 3. In sporting contexts, this method is often adopted by elite clubs and teams around the world as an alternative to cold-water therapy alone.

While you can reap the benefits from a single session, it is said that you can gain even more from a regular routine. You should not exceed 3 sessions in a single week.