Do Ice Baths have Benefits?

Recently people have been taking ice baths to speed up recovery following tough workouts. Research shows that ice baths may lower inflammation and pain caused by exercise. Madonna made a bizarre revelation about her healthy life and shared a picture that includes a 3 AM ice bath followed by a cup of her urine. She wrote: “Shall we start an ice bath challenge? 41 degrees. The best treatment for injuries”

However, this is not the first time that she has been using both of these tricks for treatments. She earlier told that she urinated on her own feet to treat athlete’s foot.

Check out her post:

What is an ice bath?

It is also known as cold-water immersion which are a form of cryotherapy that means sitting in chilly water, up to your chest for 10 to 15 minutes.

How does it work?

Ice bath reduces inflammation and improves recovery by changing the way blood and other fluids flow through your body. When you sit in cold water, your blood vessels constrict, when you get up they open back up and thi process helps flush away metabolic waster post-workout.

While your heart continuously moves blood around your body, your lymph nodes don’t have a pump. Ice baths narrow and open vessels manually, which helps stagnant fluids in your lymph nodes move throughout your body. Increased blood flow also floods your cells with nutrients and oxygen which helps the body to recover.

They are best effective when taken after intense workout or game. People with high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease should consult their doctor before taking this therapy.

Do’s of ice bath:

•    Keep the water temperature between 54 to 60 degrees.

•    Sit for 10 minutes only

•    Distract yourself to make it easy for you to sit in the tub

•    After your ice bath, bring your body temperature back down slowly.

Don’t

•    Don’t take warm bath after ice bath

•    Do not overexpose your skin