Have you heard of "cold water baths," a popular treatment among athletes and exercise enthusiasts? What are the benefits of immersing yourself in a bath filled with ice after training? This time, we will explain about cold water baths after exercise.

The effects of cold water baths

Cold water baths are known as a conditioning method for "recovering from fatigue." They are particularly effective in the following situations:

・Relief of muscle pain

It has been reported that taking a cold water bath after a hard workout can reduce subjective muscle soreness.

- Inhibition of inflammation

A study has shown that taking a cold water bath immediately after exercise reduces inflammatory markers (blood indicators) 24 to 72 hours later, which may facilitate the body's recovery process.

・Temperature regulation

In hot environments, cold water baths are said to prevent excessive increases in body temperature and skin temperature, and also help prevent heatstroke and a decline in performance.

〇What is an effective way to take a cold water bath?

Timing: Immediately after exercise (as soon as possible)

・Temperature: 11-15℃

・Time: Maximum 10-15 minutes (beginners should start with 2-3 minutes to get used to it)

Mochado et al. (2016) reported that a temperature range of 11-15°C was most effective. However, caution is required as temperatures below 10°C may reduce the recovery effect.

〇Cold showers are also effective!

We've shown you the effects of cold water baths, but another easy way to do this at home is to take a cold shower. Cold showers can also be expected to have the effect of reducing muscle pain, so please try it in the same way as cold water baths.

○ There are situations where cold water baths are not suitable

Cold water baths are not a cure-all. In the following cases, they may not be as effective or may even have the opposite effect:

・When aiming to increase muscle mass or strength

Cooling your muscles after training can reduce blood flow and hinder muscle growth (hypertrophy) and strength gains, so if you're trying to build muscle, you might want to avoid taking a cold bath after every workout.

・Injury recovery period (a few days later)

In some cases, reducing inflammation can hinder recovery, especially after a few days, as the reduced blood flow caused by cold water baths can slow the healing of injured tissue.

Not suitable for short recovery periods between matches

If the time between exercises is short, such as in sports with multiple matches per day, cold water baths may also impair performance.

Summary: When using cold water baths, it's important to know when to use them.

Cold water baths are a very effective way to recover from fatigue and relieve muscle pain. However, if you choose the wrong purpose or timing, it can actually hinder your performance.

The trick to effectively incorporating cold baths and showers is to use them depending on the situation, such as whether you want to rest or develop your muscles, or how much time you have until your next exercise.
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Author
Ryota Ishii, Physical Therapist at Ikejiri-Ohashi Sera Clinic

Supervision
Dr. Yasushi Sera, Ikejiri-Ohashi Sera Clinic

Ikejiri-Ohashi Sera Clinic https://sera-clinic.com/