Owner Bill Hanks and his wife Anna wanted to make cryotherapy more accessible to the Cy-Fair area. Owner Bill Hanks and his wife Anna wanted to make cryotherapy more accessible to the Cy-Fair area.[/caption]

In January, Cryo Recovery owner Bill Hanks opened the Cy-Fair area’s first cryotherapy location so customers could access the cutting-edge therapy without having to drive across the Greater Houston area.

The location offers compression devices to massage limbs to help athletes recover between workouts. The location offers compression devices to massage limbs to help athletes recover between workouts.[/caption]

Cryotherapy is a process that uses nitrogen vapor at subzero temperatures to help the body transport nutrient-dense blood to the organs, Hanks said.

Although some cryotherapy businesses offer the therapy as a weight loss method, cryotherapy focuses strictly on people with inflammation issues, such as arthritis, psoriasis and multiple sclerosis, as well as athletes who need help recovering after strenuous workouts.

Hanks first tried cryotherapy after suffering from knee-pain that doctors said was incurable.

“I tried the whole body cryotherapy and noticed the difference immediately in my knee,” he said. “So along with the market need and my wife and I's passion for fitness and health, we decided to open a place in Vintage Park.”

Cryo Recovery uses a whole-body cryotherapy treatment, a two-three minute process that takes place in a full-body chamber called a cryosauna.

The patient stands in the cryosauna for a few minutes surrounded by nitrogen gas mixed with air at a temperature of  minus 250 degrees Fahrenheit, Hanks said.

The patient’s head is kept above the chamber at all times, and the client wears wool socks and gloves to protect extremities.

“Your body goes into the hypothermic state that makes you go into survival mode,” Hanks said. “Blood moves to your core and picks up proteins, enzymes and red blood cells that move back into your tissues and joints, which allows your body to heal itself.”

Benefits can be seen after one session, but two or three sessions per week may be necessary to see full recovery, he said.

Cryo Recovery also offers electrotherapy and compression recovery, both of which help athletes recover from injuries or muscle breakdown, Hanks said.

A variety of membership packages are available that range in price from $99 a week to $249 per month. Packages can also be purchased by sessions, ranging from $149 for three sessions to $399 for 10 sessions.