History

Using cold to fight off inflammation is a well-known treatment, whether it is an ice pack for analgesia and to decrease swelling or an antipyretic cold wrap.

Cold therapy and its use can be dated back as far as Ancient Greek times, while the Ancient Egyptians are also known to have used special cold compresses for pain relief.

It became well established in the 18th and 19th Centuries in northern Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria, where it was customary to use some form of cold hydrotherapy or ice bath to address a variety of complaints.

Whole Body Cryo Therapy goes further in triggering a series of systemic reactions in the body. It is based on neuroreflexive as well as neurohumoral processes and its effects on central control functions.  These processes are induced by the strong, short-term cold stimulus that is applied over almost the entire body surface.

Whole Body Cryo Therapy was first applied by Professor Yamauchi in 1980 in Japan. Professor Fricke in 1984 was first to use Whole Body Cryo Therapy in Germany. From there, the field of Whole Body Cryo Therapy exploded globally. Installations in numerous countries and scientific papers have since been published all over the world.

Until the end of the 1990’s Whole Body Cryo Therapy was mainly used in the medical field. Sport teams soon started to discover the benefits for recovery and competition. With the beginning of the new millennium, medical spas and wellness centers started using cold saunas to enhance well-being and as preventative healthcare.

The ICELAB device is manufactured by Zimmer MedizinSysteme GmbH and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or chronic illness.