Effective recovery is essential for your body to repair itself after strenuous activity. It helps mitigate injuries, keeps you at your best on the field, rink, or court, relaxes your mind and replenishes your energy levels. No matter your sport or activity, recovery is key to maintaining and enhancing your elite performance.
Different sports involve varying levels of physical and mental stress, and no two athletes handle stress the same way. We encourage athletes focused on recovery to try each of our modalities, consider the positive effects and benefits that they experience with each, and then incorporate active recovery techniques into their training regimen in a way that makes sense for them.
At the Center for Sports Performance and Research, we offer a comprehensive private recovery suite open to everyone, from elite athletes to everyday fitness enthusiasts. Our recovery services include float therapy, cryostimulation, and photobiomodulation (PBM). Same-day appointments and package discounts are available. Call 508-216-1145 for more information.
Using advanced tools and techniques, we provide a complete and balanced approach to recovery, tailored to your specific needs.
Also known as restricted environmental stimulation technique (REST), float therapy uses a shallow pool of high-density Epsom salt to create a sense of full-body weightlessness. This effortless floating counteracts the effects of gravity, promoting deep relaxation and easing muscle and joint tension. The sensory deprivation experienced during float therapy helps to calm the mind and enhance mental focus. Float therapy is a great way to supplement your mindfulness and meditation practices through regular dedicated time to quiet the body and mind and focus on the breath.
The goal of float is to induce the relaxation response, which is driven by the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system’s stressed “fight or flight” response. The relaxation response in our body, in basic terms, is “rest and digest”. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for lowering heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory frequency. To maximize this relaxation response, you need to minimize visual, vestibular (movement, gravity and balance), and somatic (touch) inputs to the nervous system. Regular inducement of the relaxation response through float therapy can make it easier for the mind and body to deal with environmental stressors and deescalate stressful situations.
Float has been shown to produce both theta and delta waves in the brain. Theta waves are the second slowest brain waves and have been associated with stress and anxiety reduction. Delta waves are the lowest frequency brain waves which are a key component in REM sleep. These waves are associated with decreases in the stress hormone cortisol. Often, our clients report feeling relaxed, and sometimes even tired or sleepy after a float session.
During a float session at the Center, the client floats on their back in a pool of highly concentrated saltwater set to match the client’s body temperature. The tank environment is dark, silent, and the water is heated to the temperature of the skin to maximize relaxation. Clients also have the option to have soothing music played through speakers in the chamber for an added calming effect.
Clients can find benefits floating immediately following training sessions, or they can utilize float to reduce cognitive stress leading up to or following intense competition. For optimal results, we recommend incorporating float into your training routine once or twice a week.
In summary, the key benefits of float therapy include:
To get the maximum benefit from our recovery services, we recommend clients incorporate regular sessions in one or more modalities into their training plan for increased focus, boosted energy, and enhanced athletic performance.
The Center regularly offers introductory pricing and training and recovery package discounts. Call today to schedule your free tour of our recovery suite and speak with a performance recovery specialist about your options and our current promotions.
For float, clients can wear a swimsuit if they prefer, but the preferred mode of entry in the tank is without clothing as clothing may add weight against the skin and the salt may break down garments over time. Clients wishing to cover their hair and scalp should bring their own swim cap. The float capsule is completely private, and the room is equipped with a shower as pre- and post-treatment showering is required.
For cryotherapy, clients typically wear a compression short and sports bra if appropriate. We provide hats, gloves, socks, warm boots, and masks that are worn during the treatment. Because of the extreme temperatures involved, there cannot be any moisture on the client’s skin inside the cryogenic chamber to lessen the risk of frost bite. For this reason, cryotherapy should be scheduled on an off day or before a workout to avoid perspiration.
For PBM, athletes lie in the bed without clothing to allow the light to bombard their skin. The bed is in a private room and is sanitized between each use.
The Center for Sports Performance and Research has ample, clean changing and showering facilities for athletes to utilize before and after all recovery and training sessions. The facilities are equipped with lockers for securing personal belongings and valuables.
Athletes and active individuals can schedule recovery services on a rest day or separate from their normal gym time to maximize relaxation and minimize distraction. Alternately, some clients prefer to combine their training and recovery sessions for convenience. Cryotherapy can only be scheduled prior to a workout in order to avoid perspiration. Float therapy requires showering before and after treatment, so can be scheduled anytime and can help quiet the mind before or after an intense workout. Because PBM can boost energy levels, it is suggested to be scheduled within a day or two before an intense training session or competition.
