The 5 Best At-Home Cold Therapy Machines For Faster Muscle Relief & Recovery

If you’ve spent any time with mindbodygreen this year, you’ve likely come across the many benefits of cold therapy, also broadly referred to as cryotherapy. Whether you’re easing into a cold plunge tub or stepping into a whole body cryotherapy chamber, the benefits of chilly temperatures abound. Research suggests the practice may help support sleep1, manage inflammation2, ease pain3, and promote muscle recovery4, among other longevity-related perks.

On a recent episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, cold therapy expert Mark Harper, M.D., Ph.D. discussed the effects of cold water immersion. "I wrote a paper5 suggesting that by putting people through a cold water adaptation program before surgery, you could reduce the number of complications,” he explained. “One of the key aspects to why it might reduce complications is because cold water adaptation, as part of the response to stress, reduces your inflammatory response."

There are many ways to reap the many benefits of cryotherapy (jumping into a chilly body of water, taking a cold shower, to name a few). However, if you’re hoping to target a specific area of the body, you may want to consider a cold therapy machine. These devices offer quick relief after a difficult workout, and can help promote faster recovery from an injury.

Below, learn more about how these machines work, along with our picks for the best cold therapy machines of 2022.

Often used in hospitals or physical therapy clinics, cold therapy machines essentially offer the effects of an ice bath to a controlled, targeted area. Cold therapy machines use pads or wraps to adhere to specific body parts, as chilled water travels through tubes from a cooler, delivering continuous cold temperatures to the intended area.

“Different machines may work in different ways, some utilizing water as a conductor of heat where others may rely on more drastic shifts in ambient temperature,” says Charles Tabone, N.D., in-house naturopathic doctor at Pause Studio in Los Angeles, CA. “Across the board, cold therapy machines are using the body’s physiological response to temperature change and piggybacking off the downstream effects.”

One effect of these machines is that the cold temperature application can cause vasoconstriction6 (your blood vessels get smaller and constrict blood flow). When the cold is removed, your blood vessels open up (vasodilation), which may help with muscle reoxygenation7 and recovery.

In case you don't want to take daily trips to a doctor's office or clinic, there are a number of cold therapy devices available for home use. The exact mechanics vary slightly across different brands and models, so the right choice depends on your specific wants and needs—which should always be discussed with your healthcare provider.

As mentioned, adding cryotherapy to your routine brings a number of benefits, and a cold therapy machine can be a convenient, effective method for targeted treatment.

However, Tabone does offer caution around using these devices for longer than the recommended amount of time, explaining that, “If tissue gets too cold for too long, damage can occur.” It’s also important to be aware of any manufacturer safety warnings, particularly because these machines use both water and electricity.

As with any new practice, it’s a good idea to speak with your healthcare practitioner before implementing cold therapy into your routine. Specifically, Tabone says “Anyone of extreme (young or old) age, individuals with serious cardiovascular conditions, pregnant women, and people with major wound healing” should take extra caution.

Cost is another factor to consider. “It’s far more economical to stand in a cold shower or jump into a cool body of water,” Tabone agrees. “On a plus side, though, often it’s the investment in a recovery device or membership that helps cement a routine, the most important thing is finding a way to maintain a practice.”

If a cold therapy machine feels like it would be a beneficial device to add into your recovery regimen, there are a few factors to keep in mind. “Not all devices will be equal, and safety standards are very important to reduce risk of harm,” explains Tabone. “Water is also a better conductor of heat than air, and devices that use water will often be more efficacious.”

Consider how you’ll be using the cold therapy machine: Does it need to be fully portable? If so, you may prefer a battery-powered option. Are you looking to treat a specific body part? Make sure the machine comes with compatible therapy pads.

While concentrated cold therapy machines do not have exactly the same effects as a full cryotherapy chamber or cold water immersion, rave reviews and expert input suggest that they’re a useful tool for at-home recovery from surgery, an injury, or a more strenuous workout. If you’re looking for more devices to boost your recovery from home, check out our roundup of the best compression boots, or even massage chairs.