As cryotherapy popularity grows among celebrities we send a volunteer to test it out and see what the fuss is

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OLYMPIC hero Mo Farah and footballers Cristiano Ronaldo and Jamie Vardy are all big fans of cryotheraphy.

The treatment – which subjects the body to temperatures of -90C – helps sports stars battle injury and boost performance.

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Actress Lindsay Lohan loves it too. But it’s no longer the preserve of celebs and sports stars.
 Cryotheraphy is now being offered at swanky London department store, Harvey Nichols.

Sun girl LAURA STOTT has braved freezing temperatures to see if it could help relieve her aches and pains.

 

 

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Here’s how she got on at Cryo’s London outlet . . .

AS I arrive for my £95 cryo session, it’s bitterly cold outside. What I really fancy is a nice warm drink, not stripping off my winter woollies and stepping into a -90C cryotherapy chamber. But that’s exactly what I’m about to do.

The technician who will look after me during the three minutes I will spend shivering in the chamber talks me through what I will experience.

Cryo claims its chamber can help people manage sports woes such as creaky joints and sore muscles, but also ease the misery of arthritis, back pain and the common headache — and even help with weight management.

Well, I have a spot of tendonitis in my shoulder and a niggling ache in my right hip so I’m hopeful the arctic conditions will offer a solution to these problems.

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After changing into shorts and a vest, I’m given thick gloves and special thermal shoes to keep my hands and feet warm, plus a headband to protect my ears and a mask so air I breathe out does not freeze.

Before I can say, “Brrrrr!” I’m taken to the chamber.

With its frosted-glass door, at first glance the chamber reminds me of a shower cubicle.

Then I spot a temperature gauge set at -90C, the door is opened and I’m hit by a freezing blast so intense it makes me gasp in horror.

But I’m assured the chamber experience is best thought of as akin to a dose of reviving mountain air. So, taking a deep breath, I step inside.

The science behind cryotherapy says freezing the skin to -90°C tricks our bodies into survival mode, which kickstarts all our natural defence mechanisms into action.

Blood flow and metabolism are increased and hormones are pumped rapidly around the body, which encourages benefits such as cell renewal, strengthened joints and reduced inflammation.

[boxout featured-image="2334917" intro="PERSONAL trainer Neil Issacson, 54, a marred father of five, from  Hendon, North London, says:"]With pain in my left knee, an X-ray showed I had torn my meniscus and cartilage had worn away. I had keyhole surgery twice but my knee wouldn’t settle.

It was so swollen, I couldn’t bend it. A surgeon recommended Cryo Clinics in Hendon, so I decided to give it a go.

My first session lasted a minute. It wasn’t as cold as I’d expected. I then went twice a week for five weeks, building up the time.

I’d go in until my swelling subsided then get on an exercise bike to mobilise it.

My knee improved each week and I was slowly able to strengthen it.

Cryotherapy was a lifesaver.[/boxout]

On the strength of this, in Poland and Russia cryotherapy is even now available on the state to treat conditions such as arthritis.

For my part, when I get in the chamber I’m surprised at first that I don’t feel a whole lot colder than I do.

My technician demonstrates some exercises to help the cold penetrate my sore shoulder and, after performing various lunges and squats, I feel energised and chirpy.

But after about a minute-and-a-half, I do start to feel the cold — and for the excruciating final ten seconds I feel like I’m on the verge of frostbite.

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As I walk out of the chamber, my skin glows bright pink and I experience a massive adrenaline surge — as my body, no doubt, celebrates not freezing to death.

For the rest of the day, my skin is glowing and I feel full of beans.

But while my hip pain does seem to have eased off quite a bit, my shoulder doesn’t feel much different.

I would freeze my bum off again to see if a second session helped.

But if not, as for this lark of getting frozen, it’s maybe time to let it go.

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