Why a cryotherapy chair and chiropractic go hand in hand
Doctors of chiropractic are always working toward improving their practice so they can provide the best care possible for their patients. This includes being on the hunt for any new ideas to set their offices apart and grow their client base. As DCs work long days, often with very few days off, having additional equipment, such as a cryotherapy chair, that can draw in new clients and help retain existing ones with no additional physical work is ideal.
This is where cryotherapy comes in. When someone thinks of cryotherapy, there’s a good chance the first image that comes to mind is a futuristic-looking cryotherapy chamber that looks like something straight out of Star Wars.
Cryotherapy for the masses
Wealthy athletes and celebrities have made these chambers more prominent, but they aren’t as accessible or affordable as many other forms of recovery. While chambers are certainly one method of cryotherapy, there are alternatives that are much more attainable and can ultimately benefit patients.
DCs are focused on one thing: helping patients physically recover from ailments or everyday aches and pains. Cryotherapy’s primary focus is the same. That’s why cryotherapy and chiropractic practices can really go hand in hand. Various forms of cold therapy have been used extensively to target aches and pains, and best of all, it allows DCs to treat their patients with self-guided chairs, removing the need to have someone operate the service.
Cryotherapy has been popular among athletes for years because their bodies go through a lot, especially if their sport is excessively physical like football or boxing. For this reason, cold therapy is a staple of most athletic training rooms.
However, the practice also benefits those who experience muscle soreness and strains from everyday life. As the nine-to-five job often leaves us sitting in an upright position for hours each day, this can cause a lot of strain on our backs and necks. Cryotherapy won’t cure or heal any conditions, but it feels great on aches and pains.
No-touch care
DCs are constantly having to treat patients by touching them: adjusting their necks, cracking their backs, examining their ankles, etc. This constant requirement of using their hands can lead to fatigue sometimes, especially when a DC’s patient count is extremely high, as is often the case, which leads to those 12+ hour days.
When cryotherapy methods are implemented in a chiropractic office, DCs essentially gain another employee who can work on patients for them, allowing the DCs themselves to get a much-needed break.
There are multiple different ways a DC can implement cryotherapy in their offices. Previously mentioned cryotherapy chambers are known to be effective options, but they are expensive and can be uncomfortable for patients since they require being placed upright in a tight space in very cold temperatures. Ice baths are also an option, but those are much more practical in a home setting rather than a chiropractic office setting since patients would have to remove their clothes and have a designated private area for this method.
For these reasons, a cryotherapy chair is a comfortable, affordable, and beneficial option. These chairs are often the most convenient method of cryotherapy due to their practicality, ease of setup and use, and the benefits provided to both patients and DCs. There are chairs on the market that allow users to select on which areas of the body they would like to receive heat therapy and on which areas of the body they would like to receive ice therapy. They also don’t require anyone to get undressed, meaning the chairs can be placed anywhere space is available in the chiropractic office.
The cryotherapy chair option
The cryotherapy chair option has massive advantages for patients, but the benefits are just as great for DCs as well.
DCs often work long days and see dozens of patients. It can be difficult to show every patient the amount of attention they each deserve. Cryotherapy chairs allow DCs to work on a different patient while the patients in the chairs are still getting benefits they likely won’t get outside the office. It is essentially like having one specific employee entirely dedicated to cryotherapy, without the expense of an additional employee.
The chairs also don’t take up lots of space and don’t require any excessive installation process that requires renovation to the building or closure of a particular space in the office for a long period of time. Additionally, cryotherapy chairs can provide an additional revenue stream. DCs can choose to charge extra for people to use the chairs, leading to more sales and ultimately making the chairs a worthwhile investment.
If a DC’s goals are to provide the best patient care possible to as many patients as possible while still maintaining a reasonable workload, cryotherapy is certainly a great option. Expensive chambers, tubs filled with ice and other cryotherapy methods are effective, but the chairs ultimately benefit the patients due to the comfort and practicality.
PAUL LUNTER is the founder and CEO of HydroMassage. Learn more about the new CryoLounge+ at HydroMassage.com.
