Ice Bath FAQ
Should I use an ice bath after every training session?
In the competitive phase of the season the use of ice baths will help minimise fatigue and aid recovery, thereby improving performance and lowering the risk of injury. In the pre-season, or power-building phase, of training the use of ice baths may adversely affect the adaptive response.
Your muscles will adapt to the increased workload faster if the body is allowed to contend with the inflammation and micro-tears naturally without the intervention of cold water immersion.As fatigue is the main precursor of injury and is also a major performance inhibitor. Consequently, the fitness coach’s objective is to maximise fitness and minimise fatigue in order to maximise performance and lower the risk of injury.
The argument is further complicated in team sports where skill, tactics and pre-planned moves need to be coached on the training pitch. In these sports the coach will want the players to be mentally alert and physically prepared to benefit fully from the coaching session, not hobbling around only partially recovered from the previous day’s training. In this instance, there may be a conflict of interest where the fitness coach is trying to maximise adaptation while the team coach wants the players recovered sufficiently to benefit fully from the training session, therefore, cold water immersion may be strategically used to fit the on-going training session plans rather than eliminated to cater for both objectives.
What is the optimum temperature for ice bath recovery?
Ice bath therapy is a factor of time and temperature. The higher the temperature the longer is the required immersion time.
Because modern ice baths do not use ice but have a digitally controlled chillers maintaining the temperature at a pre-set level throughout the therapy session. This enables both lower temperatures and shorter sessions to achieve an improved therapeutic effect.
Also, when the ice bath has jets, like the ECB Spa, there is chilling by both conduction and convection (wind chill) leading to a much more penetrating cold and ensuring the tissue is chilled to the therapeutic level.
Many elite football clubs, rugby clubs and Olympic training facilities are now using temperatures in the 6C to 10C range with some even as low as 4C. When combined with the windchill effect the therapy sessions are most often in the 3 to 6 minute range.
What is the purpose of an ice bath after running?
The primary purpose of an ice bath is to aid recovery and reduce the level of delayed onset muscle soreness.
The mechanisms include aiding normalisation of body temperature, flushing out muscles due to constriction of blood vessels & compression through hydrostatic temperature, a decrease in metabolic activity, balancing of the sympathetic & parasympathetic systems and a reduction in muscle damage.
Athletes report feeling more energised at the following training session and report reduced muscle soreness enabling them to train more effectively.
Fatigue is reduced and fatigue is the main precursor of injury. Therefore, using an ice bath reduces fatigue and lowers the risk of injury.
Why athletes need to do ice sessions?
Aids in recovery, minimises fatigue and, thereby, lowering the risk of injury. Fatigue inhibits performance. So if you can manage fatigue by improving fitness and aiding recovery the outcome is improved performance and lowered risk of injury
A Good diet, sleep, hydration plus cold water immersion is the main scientifically proven methods of aiding recovery and minimising fatigue.
How long should you stay in an ice bath?
The therapeutic effect is a factor of temperature and time. The colder it is, the more penetrating that cold, then less time is required to cool the tissue to a therapeutic level.
With modern digitally controlled ice baths, or Cryo Spa, which chill by conduction and convection the jets are creating a ‘wind chill’ effect, the average treatment time is typically 5-10 minutes.