Do ice baths help post-exercise recovery

DO ICE BATHS HELP POST-EXERCISE RECOVERY? 

Many elite athletes take the plunge in an ice water bath post exercise as standard practice. However it is very controversial as to whether total emersion after exercise is of benefit or not.

The Scientific Theory

Intense exercise actually causes micro trauma, or tiny tears in muscle fibres. This muscle damage not only stimulates muscle cell activity but also helps repair the damage and strengthen the muscles. The muscle trauma can cause delayed muscle pain and soreness (DOMS), which occurs between 24 and 72 hours post exercise.

 The ice bath is thought to:

Constrict blood vessels and flush waste products, like lactic acid out of the affected tissues

Decrease metabolic activity and slow down physiological processes

Reduce swelling and tissue breakdown

Then, with rewarming, the increased blood flow speeds up circulation, and in turn, improves the healing process.

Although there is no current protocol regarding the ideal time and temperature for cold immersion routines, most athletes or trainers who use them recommend a water temperature between 12 to 15 degrees Celsius and immersion times of 5 to 10 and sometimes up to 20 minutes.

However it is not necessarily beneficial for ice baths to get rid of the inflammation that occurs during exercise. It is the inflammation that signals your body to adapt and get stronger after training. It has been shown in research that those who do use cold baths post exercise have less long term muscle gains. Researchers have found that there was a reduced long term gain in muscle mass post ice bath submersion. At this stage they are unsure as to why cold water emersion has this effect but reduction in blood flow could be one mechanism.

In conclusion, there appears to be pros and cons of ice bath emersion after sport in athletes and professional sports people, but the latest thoughts are that it is of no benefit for emersion in ice bath after exercise, although with further research and influences in the future there could be constantly changing results.