Swimming is another energy demanding sport which comparatively exert strenuous pressure to the muscles. Athletes spend hours in the water practicing and competition takes lot of strength from the upper body part especially the arms. This results in muscle fatigue, soreness and small tissue injuries that slow the recovery between the training sessions or competitions. That’s why ice baths are returning this summer to questionably serve as a recovery tool among competitive swimmers – and masters swimmers. Perhaps the most keenly asked question about ice bath cryotherapy is what the science of it has to say on the impact of ice baths.
The Physiology of Ice Baths
The moment the body comes into contact with cold water the cold shock response is initiated. Ice baths most often are within the range of 50-59 °F (10-15 °C). At these cold temperatures, the blood vessels in the skin narrow down very quickly. This assists to minimize heat loss and one of the reasons why swimmers do not constantly lose their body temperatures during the snow bath. The body then translates into an increase in heat production by shivering, and, in addition, by means of non-shivering thermogenesis.
A much more dramatic change in the body’s condition happens after the extraction from the ice bath – the rewarming period. The arterioles and small arteries constricted by the cold get back to its normal size (vasodilation) consequently increasing blood flow. An increase of 31 degrees Celsius is recorded and tissue temperature returns to the normal baselines. Most of the beneficial physiologic changes are however believed to happen in this rewarming phase therefore the reason why different procedures are usually adopted during this period. Much effort is still directed towards trying to unravel the interrelated biochemistry of cold therapy.
Minimizing inflammation after exercise
Another theory behind the use of ice baths is a belief that they reduce inflammation as a result of the microtrauma that accrues from training. When the muscle cells are damaged, the inflammatory process begins – the release of substances which trigger an immune response. The onset of inflammation may result in water retention or oedema, pain and soreness.
In some analysis, cold water immersion leaves blood vessels sufficiently constricted so as not to transport inflammatory markers to muscles undergoing repair during recovery. There is no significant variation in each biomarker of inflammation which has been identified, whether taking an ice bath or passive rest by other researchers. Unfortunately, much of the basic information regarding the process occurring after exposure to several water temperatures and various intended immersion schedules remains unknown.
Speeding Up Muscle Recovery
Another reason indicating that ice baths are useful after difficult swimming sets and meets is that the body is cleared of metabolic waste products such as lactate more quickly. During the period of rewarming and the subsequent recovery the blood supply to the worked muscles may enhance such that these fatiguing compounds are washed out. This could reduce the time taken for recovery in between races especially in a big meet.
But one study showed that the lactate level is effectively washed out without using an ice bath or contrast water therapy or passive rest. The effects of temperature, time and control may affect the results. Scientists also discuss the question of the time, because inflammation in the subsequent hours after training could be crucial for muscle repair. As it can be seen, more research is still required for other cold application therapy protocols to be determined.
Preserving Muscle Power
For this reason, literature and other experiments show that ice bath may decrease power output and strength after the treatment owing to decreased muscle temperature of the subject. This resulted in theories that cold therapy could be detrimental to performance in events such as multi day swimming races.
However, many of researches on high-level athletes indicated that muscle power replenishment was fully recovered within 1 hour after ice bath. This means that lack of strength or speed should not hamper an athlete since enough time must be given before the next race. In fact, the muscle recovery from the cold may remove any acute loss of function that occurs due to cold exposure.
Other Potential Benefits
- Beyond possible positive impacts on soreness, swelling, and recovery
- The volume and frequency of cardiac activity and blood pressure changes during and after ice baths.
- Better sleep quality described in one study
- Decreased nerve conduction velocity and force production and other studies done while in the tub
The Verdict
Extant findings provide moderate supporting evidence for utilizing modes of ice baths for modulating pain/soreness and recovery of the swimmers during a compressed training period and multiday events. To this end, the present research is limited concerning the optimal water temperature, its duration and frequency and its best time, in relation to exercise sessions. Several have been experimental for short periods and with no competitive result. Further, more extended randomized control trials are further required to better understand the positive effect of ice baths as well as concerning the performance improvement throughout the season. In the meantime many elite swimmers insist on taking ice baths to expand their limits in water training.