I don’t intent to write about cryotherapy again this soon, but as I walk by Next | Health today, I get some some chilly feels.

A cost benefit analysis of cryotherapy suddenly races through my mind. It’s the staggering $60/ 3 minute session that sends chills through my body for more than 3 minutes.

Let’s do this analysis.

First, the benefits are beauty benefits such as collagen production, and health benefits such as joint and muscle soreness/chronic pain relief, improved sleep, improved mood related to endorphin release, stress, depression and anxiety reduction and enhanced immune system responsiveness.

Now let’s consider the costs: the commute there, and the cost at $60 per session or $249 per month unlimited (limited to 1 session per day).

Okay, so at first glance, cryotherapy wins. Big time. But, I still have cold feet. I begin to think of alternatives to cryotherapy such as ice packs, ice baths, cold weather… can you think of others?

Let’s go through the list of benefits with alternatives I have in mind:

1. Beauty benefits by collagen production OR eat more foods that assist to produce collagen. We do have to eat anyway.

2. Joint and muscle soreness relief OR use an ice pack

3. Improved sleep OR a moment of meditation instead of commuting there

4. Endorphin release OR exercise that should be done anyway

5. Stress relief OR take time to relax rather than rush off to cryo

6. Depression and anxiety reduction OR pay attention to what is the fundamental cause of this and work on alleviating that rather than using a band-aid solution

7. Enhanced immune system OR take an ice bath, eat properly, ensure a good sleep cycle and exercise

8. Circulation OR stretch, massage, exercise

I find that for each benefit of cryotheraphy there is a free and easy alternative.

Let’s take my short commute of 10 minutes walking each way (no need to park!), 3 minute session, and 5 minutes changing, plus two minute check in time as total length of each session as another compare and contrast situation.

This is a total of 30 minutes, which is a very quick freeze for cry’n out loud, plus the cost of $60. With easy alternatives, at this point, the verdict is to turn a cold shoulder to cryotheraphy.

I’d love to hear your opinion on this. I haven’t yet figured out how to add a comments section to my blog, but if you send me an email, I’ll write up a post with both views for and against.

I’m all for a heated debate!

Pun credits:
1. for cry’n out loud- C.O