Keeping Our Young Athletes Healthy!
Milena Perkins
Owner, Nola Cryo
In Louisiana, we love sports. We consistently produce elite athletes under the guidance of our many successful high school programs. What these athletes are able to accomplish at a young age is inspiring. However, with sports-related injuries on the rise, we must work together to protect our high school athletes. Over 3.5 million kids under age 14 receive medical treatment for sports-related injuries annually. No matter the sport, our youth are at risk for injuries whenever they perform.
What is Cryotherapy?
Besides star power, do you know what Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Phelps, LeBron James, Usain Bolt and most of the NFL, NBA and NHL teams have in common? They all use cryotherapy! Professional athletes use cryotherapy to enhance their performances, reduce pain, and shorten recovery time from exertion and injuries. So, why shouldn’t high school athletes?
Cryotherapy is a non-invasive, safe, and drug-free pain management therapy for young and older athletes. During whole-body cryotherapy, one stands in the chamber with only their head above the cold for about 2-3 minutes. This fantastic technology utilizes coldness to restrict blood flow in the body, which reduces pain sensations and releases endorphins. If there is only a specific body part you would like to treat, we also offer localized cryotherapy focusing on target areas such as ankles, elbows, neck, shoulders, knees, the lower back, and face. Shorten Recovery With Massages
Nola Cryo also helps young athletes speed up their recovery time with our NormaTec Compression sleeves. Utilized by 97 percent of North American professional sports teams for faster recovery and muscle rejuvenation, these air-filled sleeves compress the muscles in order to circulate blood and decrease lactic acid buildup.
We also offer nine types of massages that will prepare the high school athlete for peak performance. Each massage lends a unique approach to relieving swelling, eliminating muscle tension, and promoting flexibility.
An Alternative to Opioids
A 2018 study by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Medical Advisory Committee (NJSIAA) revealed an opioid epidemic among high school students. Twelve percent of male student-athletes and eight percent of female student-athletes were prescribed addictive opioid narcotics. A startling eighty-three percent of adolescents had access to their own narcotics prescriptions without adult supervision. To stop this epidemic, the NJSIAA’s Medical Advisory Committee (comprised of high school officials, athletic trainers, and medical experts) provided nine recommendations. The advice was to offer non-narcotic alternatives to prescription drug medicine to control pain and inflammation. The suggestion was to utilize acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, salicylates, and non-medication treatments such as cryotherapy and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation.
At Nola Cryo, we are committed to treating and managing pain in young (and older) athletes safely and effectively. To achieve the best results, we recommend high school athletes come in for cryotherapy treatments two to three times per week before and after competing. Come visit our facility and take advantage of our special discount package for all middle school and high school athletes (and their parents) now through the end of the year. Call me today at (504) 533-9021 to book your tour of our facility! Let’s get our high school athletes fully healed so they can get back to doing the sports activity they love the most!
At Nola Cryo, we have the tools to help high school athletes recover, rejuvenate, and revitalize so that they can stay at the top of their game. Please consider this letter an invitation for you to take a tour of our location at 706 Phosphor Street, Metairie, LA, 70005, and learn why athletes love what we do!