The latest in the recovery and wellness and self-care space is is an invigorating spin in the cryotherapy chamber.

At the new Ice Recovery in the Village at Pacific Highlands Ranch, clients shimmy down to their skivvies and don socks, slippers and gloves to spend a chilling three minutes inside the full-body cyrotherapy chamber. The chamber can get as cold as -222 degrees Fahrenheit with a soft blue frozen mist escaping from the top of the tank.

The benefits of cryotherapy are plentiful, said Ice Recovery’s cyro specialist Bradley Chapman: It can speed up the metabolism, get the blood circulating and promote collagen production. A session can help with muscle recovery, pain relief, inflammation and is also good for the mood, leaving you ready to attack the day once you’ve warmed up in a fuzzy white robe.

Located in the Village at Pacific Highlands Ranch, Ice Recovery considers itself a one-stop shop for all things health and wellness offering not just cryotherapy but infrared saunas, IV nutrition, vitamin shots, Normatec compression massage and body sculpting.

Owned and operated by Regina and Brad Chapman and family, they strongly believe in every service they provide, helping people take the best care of their bodies for optimal performance. Their recovery specialists individualize treatments to meet each client’s unique goals.

Father and son Brad and Bradley Chapman have been athletes their whole lives and recovery is very important to them. Bradley formerly worked at Cyro Shield in Del Mar, gaining knowledge and experience, and his dad Brad was a frequent customer.

Brad, who owns a design-build energy services company in Del Mar Heights, had discovered cryotherapy to help with his chronic inflammation.

“It was life-changing,” Brad said. After cyro sessions he found he had no more swelling, it helped with his sleep and enhanced his mood. “I was addicted to it and going three times a week. It’s like a double espresso in the morning.”

Disappointed when their local spot closed during the pandemic, the opportunity presented itself for the entrepreneurial-minded family to go into the business for themselves.

“This location was available, the timing was good and we decided ‘Let’s do it’,” Regina said.

At Ice Recovery, the Chapmans let Bradley run the business and their daughter Cassedie serves as the operations manager, bringing 10 years of experience in the spa industry.

A lot of interior work was needed to transform the space which had past lives as an art studio and shoe store—the goal was to open in January and it didn’t happen until May. A lobby flows into a space with cozy leather chairs for treatments, saunas, cryotherapy chamber and private treatment rooms.

The Chapmans in the cyro chamber.

(Karen Billing)

Brad made sure they installed four top-of-the-line Novaerus air purifiers that effectively work to clean the air and kill viruses: “This space is clean, like a hospital or medical center,” Brad said.

Ice Recovery has three medical-grade, “jumbo-sized” infrared saunas. Bradley said there are multiple benefits from 30-45 minute sweat sessions including detoxification, helping the nervous system, increasing heat shock proteins for muscle development, alleviating tight muscles and joints, rejuvenating the skin as well as just having some time to relax.

Normatec treatments are given on the cozy seats, using dynamic air compression to alleviate pain, muscle and joint swelling. Runners use it on sore legs and hips; golfers can use it on their arms to help with muscle strains.

Kourtney Rodriguez, a registered nurse on staff, administers a full menu of IV treatments to meet the different needs of every client. The 30-40 minute IV sessions are an efficient way to treat the body at the cellular level, delivering hydration, minerals and vitamins directly where the body needs them most.

The IVs give an extra boost for hydration, detoxification, fighting fatigue, weight loss, or speeding up athletic recovery. Regina said a popular one right now is NAD + which can help with anti-aging, improved mental clarity, mitochondrial production, mood and immune function.

“The end result is heightened energy levels,” Rodriguez said of the 3-4 hour treatment. “It almost feels euphoric.”

An infrared sauna at Ice Recovery.

(Karen Billing)

Rounding out Ice Recovery’s services is EMSculpt NEO, a non-invasive body shaping device that eliminates fat while building muscle using radio-frequency and high-intensity electromagnetic energy. Regina said every client has different goals in using this special device—one 73-year-old client uses it to help build up her muscles so she can stay active, others have lost weight and are looking to tighten-up loose skin. Based on clinical studies, EMSculpt NEO clients have gained 25% more muscle and lost 30% of fat in the treatment area.

Since opening this spring, the Chapmans are enjoying working at their new business together as a family.

“It’s fun because we know so many people in the community,” Regina said. They live just across the street and Bradley grew up in Carmel Valley—he’s an alum of Carmel Del Mar, Carmel Valley Middle and Torrey Pines High so there are a lot of familiar faces. On occasion they will hang out with clients while they are getting IVs or recovering in the Normatec boots, chatting and watching sports on the big screens.

“It’s a family and community here, it’s not just strictly business,” Bradley said.

His dad Brad remains one of the most loyal cyro clients.

Learn more at https://ice-cv.com