You’ve seen your favourite sports stars jump straight in the ice bath after a session or competition and maybe even had a go yourself. You’ve probably also seen their uncomfortable expression as the cold hits them. But what does cold therapy actually do and is it worth the hype?
In theory, the constriction of the blood vessels from the cold reduces swelling and muscle tissue breakdown, known as ‘microtraumas’, which occurs after intense or sustained exercise. After the therapy, increased circulation as the muscle warms is thought to kick start the recovery process.
Advocates of cold therapy generally report a number of positives including (but not limited to):
feeling a lot fresher the day after;
better quality and duration of sleep after a tough workout;
some temporary pain relief; and
perception of a faster recovery.
Now for the important bit... What does the science say? In a word: inconclusive. A 2018
systematic review of different post-workout recovery methods (including meta analysis of 99 different studies) concluded that cold therapy and massages most significantly reduced inflammation. However, for other markers, the evidence is contrasting: a small pair of 2015 studies noted that cold therapy may hinder muscle gains after a big session.
The science is backed up by a number of other articles, with sports people generally reporting that they use cold therapy after competitions, when they need quick recovery, or when experiencing pain following a hard training session. Ultimately, the top tip with cold therapy seems to be to use it if you need it - i.e. when you have back to back competitions or are very run down or sore, but not regularly after every training session as this can hinder muscle adaptation which is key to progression.
The area where science is conclusive is for strains and sprains, for this the science supports cold therapy to reduce excessive inflammation to heal the injury, along with rest, compression and elevation.
I like to use cold therapy in between rounds of competitions (sometimes with compression at the same time) - I find it really helps me recover for the next day and sleep well after using it too. My two fastest times have come the day after another race, and having used ice and compression machines to help me recover overnight I can highly recommend them.
Why not try out cold therapy by plunging in an ice bath when you’re sore after the tough
gruelling sessions? Better still, drop us a message at vantagerecovery1@gmail.com and see how our products can help - and change the way you recover.
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