Ok, I don’t know if this was covered some where else in the forum but I checked about 6 pages and decided to just post a question. Ok it’s like this, my teammates and I have just started our training two weeks ago due to academic probation 
and yes I know we can’t jump into sprinting, any ways I digress. I’m really on my P’s and Q’s this year as far as injury prevention and workout recovery, our training staff takes good care of us. But my question is exactly how and what do ice baths do. I would like scientific terms, not just pseudo coaches’ jargon .
Through the reading I’ve done and in my experience, contrast baths are better. I read a couple of studies that found better results with contrast. The recommended use seems to be start cold end cold and do twice as much time in the hot. i.e. 1min cold, 2min hot, 1min cold, 2min hot, 1min cold. Dilates then constricts so acting as a pump, I havn’t got time to get into detail. This works for me.
Oh and watch out for scolding, don’t have the hot at a temperature as high as a normal bath.
That’s weird, I learned to do contrast showers using as cold as possible and hot as possible temperatures.
I think the primary benefit of straight ice baths is reduced inflammation after training, specifically on high intensity days.
From personal experience, I’ve only tried an ice bath once. The recovery effects were incredible, but it was so damn uncomfortable I’ve never done it again. It took me about 5 minutes just to work my way into the bath without hyperventilating from the cold.
I prefer to stick with ice massage using cryocups. It doesn’t cool the muscles as thoroughly as an ice bath, but it’s much more tolerable and therefore more likely to be used regularly.
Research suggests they decrease soreness but may retard adaptation. With this in mind I’d use them mainly in a situation where you have multiple events you have to do in a short space of time (for example a tournament). If you are getting that stiff from training that you think you need them you should ask if the training load is really suitable for you (my suggestion would be it isn’t!)
Has this been shown with contrast baths as well? What was the conclusion as to why this happened??
I found the study I think you are refering to… very interesting! I wont be taking so many Icebaths anymore… although I don’t know how it would apply to contrast baths. I seems for adaptations to accur muscles need to be at normal temperature… I didnt see the full text so I dont know how long they iced for in the study. It certainly needs to be looked into…
I may finish my contrasts with a shorter cold period so that my muscles don’t stay at that temperature, but the blood vessels are still dilated initially.
Thoughts?
Can you post the study?
Contrast showers don’t have the same effect so it won’t cause the same issues. 1min of cold isn’t going to do anything.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/f810p6kr7867t26p/
I could only access the full text from my sports campus, or with an athens login.
The participants immersed for 20minutes! that’s a long time. 10mins is the longest i’ve seen anyone go for.
I usually contrast bath for 1min cold, 2min hot, 1min cold x2. I feel this will provide a good pump to remove bi products but not do much to cool the muscle or reduce inflammation… inflammation happens for a reason.
with those protocols it’s not surprising. I don’t have them at hand now, but I seem to remember a study that shows huntington’s response starts occuring after around 12 minutes exposure to temperatures around 8-10 degrees C.
What happens for durations less than this? Does the retardation still occur? If not then you can point to Huntington’s as the likely culprit, if not you just have to keep looking…
It’s an interesting area that needs further research. I may consider it for my dissertation next year.
The local effects are fine - what about the central effects - does this affect or assist in the athletes regeneration on the WHOLE?
The bottom line is this - there has never been enough or proper academic studies conducted of the application of cryotherapy in athletes, now you can piece together every article and piece of research in an attempt to get a picture, but you won’t get a conclusive answer.
Everyone needs to establish their own approaches based on experience.