Cold Water Immersion/
IceBath
Therapy
Cold water therapy is the practice of using cold water to treat health conditions or stimulate health benefits. It’s also known as cold hydrotherapy.
Cold water therapy can improve your circulation, deepen your sleep, spike your energy levels, and reduce inflammation in your body.
Dr. A. Brion Gardner, an orthopedic surgeon with The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics, says there are major benefits to ice baths.
And Dr. Thanu Jey, the clinic director at Yorkville Sports Medicine Clinic, agrees saying that
he sides with current best management of professional athletes who regularly use ice baths.
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Eases sore and aching muscles - The greatest benefit of ice baths, most likely, is that they simply make the body feel good. After an intense workout, the cold immersion can be a relief to sore, burning muscles. That's why some prefer ice bath after workout.
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Helps your central nervous system - an ice bath can also help your central nervous system by aiding in sleep, and consequently, making you feel better from having less fatigue. it can also help improve reaction time and explosiveness in future workouts.
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Limits the inflammatory response - The theory is that decreasing the local temperature after exercise helps limit inflammatory response, decreasing the amount of inflammation and helping you recover faster.
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Decreases the effect of heat and humidity - Taking an ice bath may decrease the effect of heat and humidity. An ice bath prior to a long race in conditions where there is an increase in temperature or humidity, can lower core body temperature a few degrees which can lead to improved performance. Thats why some prefer ice bath after running.
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Trains your vagus nerve - One of the main benefits of an ice bath therapy says certified strength and conditioning specialist Aurimas Juodka, CSCS, CPT, is being able to train your vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is linked with the parasympathetic nervous system, and training it can help you face stressful situations more adequately