Physical therapist Dr. Jonathan DeMatteis (LIU Brooklyn ’05) was recently featured on CBS 2 News in New York discussing the pros and cons of a new treatment called cryotherapy with CBS reporter Alex Denis.
DeMatteis, DPT, USAW, was a student in Dr. Stacy Jaffee Gropack’s Brooklyn PT program. Dr. Gropack is Dean of the School of Health Professions and Nursing at LIU Post. He’s currently a partner and area manager at Professional Physical Therapy’s offices in mid-town Manhattan.
According to the CBS report, which aired May 3, cryotherapy is literally a “cool” new health craze used by athletes and beauty seekers that promises to make people feel rejuvenated.
In the segment titled “Freezing But Fit: Cryotherapy Gives Treatment In Fraction Of Time,” DeMatteis said he wanted to find out for himself what a cryotherapy session felt like.
Apparently, Michael Phelps, Demi Levato, Hugh Jackman and even Shaquille O’Neal have entered full-body cryotherapy chambers that drop the interior temperatures to 250 degrees below zero Fahrenheit.
“I wanted to see what all the hype was all about, and as a test subject, I was like, ‘wow,’ ” DeMatteis told the camera. “This makes me feel better – but again, there’s research out there, but there needs to be more.”
After an informal review in 2016, the Food and Drug Administration FDA did not clear or approve any of the cryotherapy claims and instead warned about the risk of frostbite. DeMatteis urged patients interested in this new approach to take some precautions.
“You should have a certified technician with you taking you through the entire process and monitoring you,” said DeMatteis.
Supporters of cryotherapy say treatments help alleviate muscle and joint pain, promote weight loss, relieve anxiety and anti-aging benefits in just six minutes.
