When an athlete falls to the ground clutching a knee or sprains an ankle mid-run, the first response is often: “Get the ice!” For decades, cold therapy has been the go-to treatment for injuries. But today, this simple approach has evolved into something far more advanced: cryotherapy.
From local ice packs to whole-body cryo chambers, cold therapy has become smarter, faster, and more efficient. Across training centres, football fields, cricket camps, and even in local gyms, athletes are turning to these chilly methods to speed up healing, reduce pain, and enhance performance. Let’s explore how cryotherapy and cold therapy are changing the way sports injuries are treated in India and beyond.
What is Cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy is a treatment that uses extremely cold temperatures to target injured muscles, tissues, and joints. It ranges from applying an ice pack on a swollen ankle to stepping into a chamber cooled to minus 110 degrees Celsius for two to three minutes.
There are mainly two types:
Local cryotherapy - Focuses on a specific body part using ice packs, sprays, or cryo wands.
Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) - Involves exposing the entire body to sub-zero temperatures in a controlled chamber.
While the basic principle remains the same, which is reducing inflammation and numbing pain, the methods and technology have become far more advanced.
The Science of Cold Therapy for Muscle Recovery
When you apply cold to an injury, blood vessels constrict, reducing blood flow to the area. This helps limit swelling and inflammation. It also dulls nerve activity, which means less pain.
Once the cold is removed, the body warms up again and fresh blood rushes in, bringing oxygen and nutrients needed for repair. This cycle helps the body recover faster.
Cryotherapy takes this a step further. The extreme cold triggers the body’s natural healing processes, boosts endorphins (our body’s feel-good chemicals), and even improves sleep and mood, which are key elements in any athlete’s recovery.
Cryotherapy & Cold Therapy for Indian Athletes
Let’s take the example of Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra. While there’s no public record of him using cryotherapy specifically, athletes at his level often use a mix of physiotherapy, ice baths, and sometimes cryo chambers to maintain peak performance and bounce back from training-induced soreness.
Cricketers in the Indian Premier League (IPL), especially fast bowlers who undergo immense strain, are known to use ice baths and cryotherapy between matches. Football clubs like Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters have also adopted cold therapy methods to manage players’ recovery schedules during tightly packed tournament seasons.
In fact, across training academies like JSW Sports and Inspire Institute of Sport, cryotherapy chambers are being introduced to ensure athletes recover quickly and avoid long injury layoffs.
How Cold Therapy Is Becoming Smarter
Earlier, cold therapy meant a bag of ice and a towel. Today, we have portable cryo-devices, compression sleeves with cooling features, and smart cold tubs that adjust temperatures automatically.
Some devices are connected to apps that monitor body temperature, time of exposure, and track muscle recovery. This data helps trainers and physiotherapists personalise recovery sessions based on how each athlete’s body responds.
Athletes also combine cryotherapy with other techniques like compression therapy, infrared saunas, or EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) to get holistic recovery.
Beyond Injuries: Holistic Benefits of Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy isn’t just for injuries. It’s now being used for:
Muscle soreness and fatigue - Especially after intense workouts or competitions.
Faster rehabilitation post-surgery - Athletes recovering from surgeries find that cold therapy helps reduce post-op swelling and pain.
Boosting mental health - Exposure to extreme cold is believed to release mood-enhancing hormones, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep.
Preventing injuries - Regular cold exposure can reduce micro-tears in muscles and help prevent future strains or pulls.
Cryotherapy Safety Guidelines & Best Practices
Whole-body cryotherapy should always be done under supervision. If done incorrectly or for too long, it can cause frostbite or breathing issues. People with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or certain medical conditions should avoid it unless cleared by a doctor.
For local cold therapy, it’s important not to apply ice directly to the skin for more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Always use a cloth barrier and follow the R.I.C.E method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) if you're treating an injury at home.
Becoming Accessible in India
Cryotherapy used to be available only in elite centres or abroad. But things are changing. Cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad now have wellness clinics and sports recovery centres offering cryotherapy sessions.
Some of these are even targeting fitness enthusiasts, runners, and working professionals who want quicker recovery or stress relief, not just elite athletes.
Mobile cryo-units are also being explored to take this therapy to tournaments or camps in rural areas where access to sports medicine is limited.
Future of Smart Recovery & Cryotherapy in Indian Sports
As India's sports culture grows and more young athletes enter competitive arenas, injury management and recovery will be key. Cryotherapy and smart cold therapies are already proving to be valuable tools in this journey.
Like good nutrition and training, recovery is becoming non-negotiable. And as technology becomes more affordable, we may see cryo chambers next to treadmills in gyms or even on school campuses.
So next time you see a sportsperson stepping into a minus 110 degrees Celsius chamber, just know they are not freezing for fun. They are investing in their body, their career, and their game.
Cold therapy is no longer just an old trick with an ice pack. With cryotherapy and smart technology, athletes now have a powerful ally in recovery. From cricket to boxing, tennis to wrestling, India’s sports stars are embracing the chill to stay ahead.
And if it helps them get back on the field faster, stronger, and healthier, then maybe the cold really is worth it.