In recent years, the cold plunge, where people immerse themselves in near-freezing water, has become immensely popular, going viral on social media with over 500 million views and various sports personalities endorsing it as part of their recovery regimen. However, this practice isn’t new, as historians have found evidence of it dating back to Ancient Roman times. In olden times, and sometimes even to this day, people did a cold plunge by jumping into the cold sea, river, or lake. While this is indeed a natural way to do it, it comes with risks of hypothermia and drowning, especially if the person is not yet used to doing a cold plunge. A need for a safe yet effective way to do this is a necessity and that is exactly what Thrive Spine & Sports Rehab is here to provide.
Thrive Spine & Sports Rehab, a premier sports injury and musculoskeletal healthcare center based in New Jersey, offers a safe, controlled, and luxurious way to do a cold plunge through its Thrive Recovery Lounges, currently located in Belmar.
According to founder and owner AJ Adamczyk, cold plunges at Thrive’s facilities are more than just tubs filled with ice water. Thrive’s cold plunge tubs feature state-of-the-art water circulating systems and sophisticated temperature control, allowing people to safely sit there for three to five minutes, reaping the maximum benefits from the cold plunge therapy. Research shows that engaging in cold plunge therapy for more than nine minutes each week resulted in drastic changes in the body – muscular, hormonal, mental, and much more.
Adamczyk explains that jumping into freezing cold water causes the body to go into fight-or-flight survival mode. The liver starts producing shock proteins, jumpstarting the body’s natural healing processes. Putting this stress on the body for a short period of time by going for a cold plunge is beneficial, causing the body to adapt and make major changes. This type of positive stress is known as eustress. Adamcyzk adds that another health benefit of regular cold plunges is a 400% increase in the production of dopamine, the pleasure hormone. Subjecting the body to such a shock can also help people lose weight, as it drops their core temperature, causing the body to work harder to raise the core temperature back up, burning more calories and increasing the body’s metabolism. Cold plunges benefit not just athletes, but everyone undergoing the daily stresses of life.
Aside from the cold plunges, Thrive Recovery Lounge also has two saunas, massage facilities, and various other sports injury treatment services.
“We built our recovery lounge as an oasis for both athletes and non-athletes to recover from sports or daily living,” Adamczyk says. “We’ve seen a huge variety of people come here, from professional sportspeople, collegiate athletes, to regular Joes – everyone is welcome and reap the benefits of our cold plunge and other recovery services.”
Going from cold to one end, Thrive Recovery Lounge’s saunas help people access the benefits caused by heat and the body’s sweating response. According to Adamczyk, between 60 to 90 minutes of sauna a week has been linked to around 50% lower risk of heart issues and other comorbidities. Sauna has been shown to be beneficial in resolving various cardiovascular issues and skin issues, as well as aiding in mental clarity. This is why multiple cultures around the world have been using heat-based therapies such as sauna or bathing in hot springs.
Aside from providing a safe, controlled, and luxurious environment for cold plunge and sauna, Thrive Recovery Lounge also has a social aspect, featuring an open layout, allowing people to interact with each other while undergoing recovery therapies. Adamczyk shares that some guests even discuss business deals while in the sauna or cold plunge. Some of Thrive’s major clients are sports teams, who use the cold plunge and sauna session as a team bonding session.
A former collegiate athlete, Adamczyk is also a licensed acupuncturist and certified strength and conditioning coach. He says that current sports science has shown that proper recovery techniques make a huge difference in athletic performance, especially later in the season and in the playoffs. Thus, he believes that going for a cold plunge or sauna session can be more beneficial than an extra practice session.
Looking forward, Adamczyk says Thrive Spine & Sports Rehab is looking to open more locations in New Jersey and beyond. The company also plans to create a social wellness club, housing a Thrive Recovery Lounge and its array of recovery services. This allows people to take care of their physical recovery needs, as well as socialize and improve their mental health.
“I envision Thrive Spine & Sports Rehab as an authoritative figure in the sports recovery and wellness space, being the premier provider of cold plunge, sauna, and other therapies. Over the years, I’ve built a team of experts who are here for the right reasons – to take care of people’s wellness and improve their enjoyment of life. So far, we’ve been succeeding; our service is so unique and our clients can’t get enough. There is a true need for what we do and what we are throughout the state, and we have every intention of filling this need in the near future.”
M&F and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
