In the world of sports, bodies take a beating. In response there are lots of methods to ward off the soreness that follows. One of the most popular treatments to prevent muscle soreness is an ice bath. As a runner, this is a very common suggestion given to deal with the wicked pain that follows a marathon. Recently, however, the effectiveness of ice baths was questioned.
Chris Bleakley headed a study regarding ice baths and their effectiveness. Bleakley is an author and researcher at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. Essentially, the research concluded that cyrotherapy has very little quality research behind it to back its validity and effectiveness.
In the study, people were asked to get into a cold water bath that was around 50 degrees Fahrenheit after they exercised. The participants stayed in the bath from anywhere between five and 24 minutes. Bleakley found that the participants experienced less soreness over the next four days, but he admitted, “it’s purely a subjective feeling of less soreness.”
Bleakley also pointed out that other treatments may be just as effective, referring to massage, stretching, and regular water immersion.
Perhaps ice baths are a chilly waste of time. The study points to this being a possibility. However, when it comes to a marathon and an endurance runner, the belief in ice bath effectiveness seems to be the standard.
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