Cryojuvenate UK was opened in March this year by entrepreneur and fitness devotee Ruth Hyde, to bring innovative and effective cryotherapy treatments to Kent, Surrey, Sussex and south London for the first time.
“I’ve been astounded at the positive reaction,” Ruth says. “Many of our clients have been amazed at the invigorating results, whether for beauty and wellbeing treatments or else sports recovery. I knew we’d find a niche, but everyone from top athletes to people enduring persistent physical problems has found our different cryo-treatments beneficial.”
“Cryotherapy is just as applicable as a beauty treatment and, for our more senior clients, to give welcome relief from painful, age-related symptoms”, she added.
Modern cold air cryotherapy technique has its origins in Japan in the 1970s, where it was developed to reduce inflammation in arthritis sufferers. Gradually, over the intervening years, its use has spread to numerous other areas.
It can rejuvenate skin, with nothing invasive involved, and help with weight loss regimes. Meanwhile, whole-body sessions can have worthwhile positive effects for sports injuries and other painful conditions. Different levels of exposure to applications of targeted, ice-chilled air – for strictly limited periods – are monitored by Ruth’s highly trained staff.
Martin O’Connell, a former physio at Fulham FC and current physio for Soccer Aid attended an evening at Cryojuvenate in Sevenoaks to discuss his thoughts on the treatments.
He commented that during his time with Fulham FC, they used cryotherapy for treatments instead of an ice bath. The difference and final outcome was that Fulham had the lowest percentage of injured players in the entire league system that season. He stated: “It just worked”.
“We saw an increase in metabolism with subsequent weight-loss, players were not complaining of sleepless nights and muscle strains were greatly reduced“, he added.
If the industry has the time and money to invest in more sports science research, then we could see cryotherapy ‘booths’ in a number of professional sports clubs in the future.
The cryotherapy chamber itself is a state-of-the-art unit, custom-built in Germany and expertly installed. It’s one of just a handful in the UK, the others mostly confined to expensive and exclusive London department stores.
“We chose the High Street in Sevenoaks as our location because it’s so convenient for many people,” Ruth says.
“However, what we offer is ideal for the wider area of Kent, Surrey and Sussex. A lot of people locally play sport and value treatments that can help when they push themselves too far… which is all too easy to do.
Ruth enjoyed a 30-year career in IT and telecoms in the City of London, balancing career with family life. She’s found cryotherapy both innovative and fulfilling to invest in, but was drawn to it for personal reasons too.
“I’ve always been a keen sportsperson, enjoying everything from gym training to cycling,” she says. “In my teens, though, I was struck down with crippling rheumatoid arthritis. Although I grew out of that, I suffered cartilage problems in my 30s and more recently had to have surgery on my shoulder. Looking and feeling good for work and social occasions is also very important for me.
“So when I became aware of the huge scope of cryotherapy treatments, I really understood the multiple benefits.”
