Two sisters with a passion for active lifestyles and healthy recovery have brought the non-invasive option for people seeking faster athletic recovery, pain management and overall better health to Greenville. Courtney Neel and Cecily Bridges have created the Frigid CryoTherapy experience beginning with your first step in the door. Their personalities are vivacious, passionate and the love for what they do to help people in the Upstate is undeniable. Meeting them and the Frigid team has left me wanting to go back time and time again. But… you may be asking yourself, “What in the world is cryotherapy?!” Well, I tried it out for a week and can help explain.
Cryotherapy is a form of treatment for athletic recovery and pain management. If you have specific questions about how cryotherapy works and the benefits of this treatment check out Frigid’s website (specifically the FAQ page.) In brief, Frigid uses chill pods to expose one’s body to up to -240 degrees Fahrenheit for 2-3 minutes at a time. I must say from first glance, the pods can seem intimidating and I know what you’re thinking… why would anyone step into a pod that reaches -240 degrees Fahrenheit?! Don’t you know water freezes at 32 degrees?! Not to worry. The chill for me does not seem nearly as cold as it is and the ladies kept me distracted with conversation through my first chill and the time flew by!
Pro tips to be prepared for your first “chill”:
- Wear comfortable clothing as you will be taking your clothing off to step into the pod and it might be preferable to leave feeling comfortable. There is a spacious and clean private restroom for changing into the cozy robe, socks and slippers provided by Frigid. There are two lockers in the changing room to keep your belongings.
- Ladies, you will be losing the robe and rocking your birthday suit in the pod. Fellas, you will be wearing just your underwear. What a great look, right? Tall black socks, slippers, and gloves. Don’t worry. No matter how exposed you feel in the pod, no one can see more than your head.
- You will be asked to remove any piercings and accessories (watch, bracelets, necklaces and rings) below the neck. Just a helpful heads up.
- You can pull your hair up, but if you want to leave your hair loose it totally helps to keep you a little bit warmer! (Also, dancing a bit and turning every so often helps to keep ya warm!)
- You can workout after both the chill treatment and the NormaTec (described below). I did chill at the mobile pod prior to a workout and almost felt a bit more energized even after a long day at work!
- Keep an eye out for specials and events. There have been promotions for those who bring in their race bibs. That’s a pretty sweet deal for those who may need a chill or two post-race for quicker recovery!
But, Cryotherapy is not the only form of treatment available at Frigid. You can make use of the NormaTec Compression to improve circulation in your legs and accelerate the body’s natural healing process. Talk about some serious relaxation. At this point, the ladies asked me if I preferred coffee or hot tea and set me up in a cozy recliner. The NormaTec can be enjoyed for 15-30 minutes (definitely make time for 30 minutes. Trust me.)
My first “chill” was the day after a Spartan Sprint and both treatments helped to promote recovery and get me back to my normal lifting and circuit routines right away. Check this place out and tell ‘em Lauren sent ya!
For more information on Frigid CryoTherapy you can visit their website here. Of course you can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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