Those of us part-time ‘recreational athletes’ have probably heard about injury treatment options for professional athletes without ever imagining they would be relevant or needed in our more low-key fitness lives. Take cryotherapy—I know, cryo-what? It’s a term that sounds like it came straight out of a science fiction novel. Or compression, one of the most old-school injury remedies: rest, ice, and elevation. Stretch-mobility is also becoming a hot topic in the fitness world. You may perceive these terms as being athlete-specific (and you would be right), but that’s about to change with the opening of The Athletic Room in Bellaire.

The Athletic Room offers a muscle recovery plan tailored to each client’s exercise regimen and needs, founded by husband and wife team Marissa and Kailee Wong. Kailee is a former Texans linebacker who moved into the corporate world after retiring from the NFL. Just a few months into his new job, he experienced chronic aches and pains he never had as a professional athlete. Eventually Wong realized it was because he was missing the body maintenance routine he had as an athlete.

"It made me realize that everyone should have access to a body maintenance routine. It is important that every person break the cycle of body dysfunction and pain that we all experience because of a mostly sedentary lifestyle” he says. “It all comes down to wellness. Keeping up with a body maintenance program will allow you to feel better, move better and most importantly, allow you to move without pain.” They opened the Athletic Room to bring these essential recovery tools to everyday athletes in Houston.

Cryotherapy is designed to speed up the recovery of sore and achy muscles after a workout or relieve your everyday aches and pains. It removes the wetness and discomfort of an actual ice bath while delivering the same benefits in less time. The treatment involves standing in a box-like chamber that surrounds your body with only your head is exposed—it looks a little like a vertical iron lung. Nitrogen vapor circulates within the chamber, stimulating cold sensors in the skin that in turn bring nutrient-rich blood to the organs. After you exit the chamber, the organ-rich blood circulates to the rest of your body, leaving you feeling refreshed and full of energy.

Stretch-mobility is the second component of the muscle recovery program offered by the Athletic Room—their expert trainers lead clients through a custom, hands-on 30- or 60-minute stretching session. The final recovery component is compression therapy, in which a system of sleeves are placed on your arms, legs or hips that inflate and mold to the body. As you sit in a leather recliner, air pulsates through the sleeves, similar to the kneading pressure of a massage. The compression sleeves help reduce swelling and fluid buildup and increase blood flow.

To learn more about the Athletic Room’s unique three-pronged approach to muscle recovery, stop by for a free consultation and a customized muscle recovery plan. The Wongs are celebrating the Super Bowl by offering a deal on cryotherapy for $25 a session all week, and for the official grand opening on March 4, they'll be offering schedule of special guests, classes and deals via social media. The next time you overdo it at the gym, a recovery or body maintenance session at the Athletic Room could be just what you need to bounce back like a pro.