HOUSTON – More than two million kids are treated for sports injuries in the emergency room every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Now, many student athletes are trying to overcome and prevent sports injuries with cryotherapy.
Ariel Velez and Connor Padron, athletes at Stratford High School, said the frigid temps actually help warm them up.
"I usually come at the end of the week to fix my soreness and any problems I have at practice during the week," Padron said. "I used to have a problem with my hip and now I don't feel it anymore."
The owner of CryoTexas said he's known the treatment to help clients with arthritis, inflammation and sports injuries.
"It triggers and number of responses from the body. Number one, all of the capillaries in your skin close up and push the blood into your core to protect vital organs," Robert Federiwicz said. "At the same time the brain responds to the extreme low temperatures by releasing endorphins, painkillers and anti-inflammatories."
Federiwicz said it takes a minimum of 90 seconds to get the desired response. Velez said the discomfort goes away immediately.
"It's like taking an ice bath just a lot better," Velez said. "It's a shorter time and I recover faster because usually after an ice bath you feel stiff."
He said he's the opposite of stiff, in fact, he thinks his body is healing as a response to cryotherapy.
"My main thing was tendonitis in my knees, I had it for three months and after coming here for like one or two visits it was gone," Velez said.
At CryoTexas, located near the Energy Corridor, an introductory session is $20. Monthly memberships go up to $200.
