Some interesting photo's on runnersworld.com of some New York marathon runners using a nitrogen cooler setup rather than an ice bath. Apparently much like a traditional ice bath, cold temperatures are used to help alter blood flow in the body. Unlike ice, liquid nitrogen can cause temperatures inside the cabin to drop to -170°C. -- Im not certain what actual advantage this has over a ice bath other than it gets you a lot colder a lot quicker
http://www.runnersworld.com/photo/nyc2010/cryosauna/home.html
Just looks too bloody cold to me, some chap even has a hat on.
I can't help but wonder now how long it will be now before some bright spark thinks its a great idea to jump in a chest freezer.
Comments
still, it's an old wives tale that it works, the research still isn't out there to concretely prove it...but people continue to use them religiously...
post injury when you want to limit/control the inflammatory response cryotherapy can be immensely useful, as can contrast therapy (hot>cold>hot>cold etc), but using it after training all the time is not worthwhile IMO.
My comment was not refering to Dathan Ritzenhein (although I also have no idea whom he is, or his claim to fame, my guess he is a professional runner)
I was simply suggesting that at some point when discussing tempratures of around -170 it would not be long before someone thought about doing similar on the cheep and sitting in a chest freezer.
We all know the kinds of people. Those who need the word HOT stamped on coffee cups in Costa Coffee and warning stickers not to stick fingers in chain saw's.. those kinds of bright sparks not for a moment did I mean Mr Ritzenhein
the N2 freezer is working by cooling the air around the person to very low levels rather than via contact so you can stand it that little bit longer as your skin doesn't get that wet.
frankly it seems like an expensive version of an ice bath and a waste of liquid N2