Polodoc: Extreme Cold for Extreme Performance

Dr.med. Andreas Krüger is a Swiss board orthopaedic and trauma surgeon in Zurich, who specialises in knee and shoulder surgery. Andi is a second generation of tournament doctors for equine sports, known as Polodoc since 2013

In the hot summer days, everybody is looking for the shade to cool down after physical exercise and limit the sweat pouring out of their bodies. Water and ice cooling as we know it as a treatment for swollen and injured horses’ legs can be very helpful and its effect is proven in animals. Huge amounts of research were undertaken to optimise its effects in the human body on inflammation and recovery sustained during injury and training. Massive data collections are now available to calculate the optimal individual therapy to come back stronger and recover better. Even pushing the limits is possible when cryotherapy is used prior to peak performance.

Whole-body cold therapy in short-term treatment will bring a long-term effect.

Immediately after the whole-body cryotherapy, endorphins are released which create a spontaneous enthusiasm. The dry cold stimulates the entire body, triggering physical and hormonal reactions. After leaving the cold chamber, an increase of well-being and good mood may reflect in vitality and satisfaction. Long-term positive effects can be triggered with repeated use. Professional tennis, rugby and football clubs all over the globe use this in their daily routine.

Pain elimination, prevention of development of pain memory and accelerated reduction of inflammation, results in: • timely elimination of reflexive muscular inactivation • prevention of longer pain and inflammation – induced restriction in mobility of the afflicted joints • improvement in local muscular perfusion and with that, muscular metabolism improved recruitment of motor units • decrease in defects in proprioception • prevention of atrophies in the muscle and in the collagenous connective tissue • reduction in the risk of subsequent injuries • reduction of convalescence periods / periods away from training Psychological equilibrium and regulation of sleep behaviour

• Contusions (bruises) and effusions in the musculature (with reflexive and/or sudden inhibition of muscular activity) • Contusions near the joints, distortions (with tendon overstretching) and inflammatory joint processes (with reflexive as well as sudden inhibition of muscular activity) • Painful tendon attachments (with accompanying inflammatory processes)

Recharge the coolness; the power of the cold can improve performance and gain more well-being and vitality. Whether it is about strengthening the immune system, improving complexion, sleep hygiene or supporting weight control.

Whole-body cryotherapy in the cold chamber improves athletic performance, top athletes have been using it for a long time. It accelerates regeneration after training or sporting exertion, so that both professionals and occasional athletes can enjoy increased performance, training optimisation, oxygen saturation of the muscles, pain treatment and more focus. Experiences from cold research in sport, fitness and competitive sport state a shortening of the regeneration time in the event of injuries

Faster recovery time after exercise, a reduction of the risk of injury as it is also suitable as accompanying therapy for sports injuries. An increase of possible peak performance is achieved with a reduction of sore muscles and muscle overstimulation

Whole-body cold therapy in short-term treatment will bring a long-term effect

The cold stimulus immediately activates selfregulation, self-repair and self-healing. Acute and chronic pain are significantly reduced due to the increased blood flow and oxygen supply. The blood circulation is stimulated, and the local metabolic rate improves. The psyche is also happy, because released endorphins and serotonin brighten the mood. Whole body therapy can help reduce swelling and inflammation and significantly improved performance is made possible.

Positive support for rheumatic diseases with reduced joint swelling with a combined natural pain relief for acute & chronic pain. Some impact as accompanying treatment for burnout and depressive moods as well as a strengthening of the immune system is possible. The vascular stimulation can also have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Cryotherapy has long been a beauty and anti-ageing trend among media and sports stars. Collagen production increases when exposed to the cold, thus ensuring freshness. In addition, every walk in the cold chamber supports your weight management, because the body burns a lot of calories about 400kcal, which ultimately promotes more effective weight loss.

In addition to a noticeable, spontaneous feeling of well-being after your whole-body cold application, you can also see success in symptoms of fatigue and sleep promotion. Your body can restore its natural rhythm and reduce stress. Sleep habits are improved and the mood is more positive. You feel powerful, full of energy and ready to take on the world.

In order to keep its core body temperature at 37°C, the body boosts its metabolism. The skin surface temperature drops by approx. 15°C). The body activates its protective mechanism and produces heat, and the release of endorphins creates a feeling of happiness. This also provides energy, focus and promotes calorie consumption. The body’s own defence system is activated and detoxification is stimulated. Blood flow and the production of collagen increases, and the production of new cells is stimulated. The body releases hormones and enzymes into the bloodstream to aid regeneration.

The application time is calculated individually to the second for each user by the RemediCool software based on a detailed anamnesis. The time of application is influenced by gender, age, body size, weight, skin type and the area of application. Basically, the application times are three minutes. As cryotherapy has been used safely for over 30 years in close cooperation with doctors and specialists, a team of medical experts is in the background.

During the application, you wear short sportswear or swimwear (important: women’s bikini or bra, but no bathing suit!) Sensitive parts of the body are protected with a face mask, earmuffs, gloves, socks and chamber shoes.

With the certified software from RemediCool, the general applicability of a cold therapy is determined for the user. The blood pressure is also measured. An individual cold training will be developed, based on the personal physiological data (such as skin type, training level, gender and BMI). Combined with the thermal perception before and during the first application at -110°C, an ideal application time taking the goals into account can be calculated. The cold experience begins with a continuous cold adjustment in the two anterooms at -10°C and -60°C and the actual application takes place at -110°C. A trained full-body cold coach will accompany the participant throughout the application. Of course, the application can be interrupted at any time and the chamber can be exited.

A: It’s impossible to catch a cold during treatment. However, the immune system is stimulated. Most likely, regular users are generally much less susceptible to colds. It will give the user an energy boost or fatigue (from detox). Headaches due to detox is possible.

A: You can go into the cold chamber every day. The recommended repetition of the application is calculated individually by the RemediCool software together with the optimal application time for each user.

For more information on Polodoc contact Andreas Krüger at drmedkrueger@gmail.com or www.polodoc.ch