A GAA study has concluded that there is no scientific evidence to support the use of ice baths as an aid to recovery.
The GAA's Medical and Scientific Committee has also claimed that cryotherapy is equally ineffective in speeding up recovery from injury. Committee member and leading physiotherapist John Murphy said: "The point we are trying to make is that if you get injured, you are injured, and some of those things won't help you to repair the injury."
Sligo team doctor Dr Jim Gillespie said that while ice baths might stop bleeding, he didn't believe that they aided recovery. Former Dublin team doctor Dr Pat Duggan said there was no evidence from a scientific point of view to support the use of ice baths and urged the GAA to call a halt to the practice.
Meanwhile, Dr Duggan warned that more inter-county players will be drug-tested than ever before this year as the Irish Sports Council steps up its anti-doping campaign.
Have to say i only did them in my twlight years and i can honestly say they did work for me. maybe it's different nowadays.
The majority of studies seem to indicate that ice baths and cryotherapy are only good in the initial stages of an injury and any benefit derived from their use is only very limited and short lived.
Do many people use that cryotherapy chamber in Wexford / Waterford or wherever it is ?
If it was so good, why are there not these chambers all over Ireland and indeed the world ??
Ice baths are not just used for injury rehabilitation.
Did the Irish Rugby team not have a bus kitted out with ice baths for the last world cup?
I could be wrong but im sure i seen something about it .
Quote from: Jinxy on May 01, 2008, 12:38:08 PM
Ice baths are not just used for injury rehabilitation.
Thats right, they are also used to freeze the bollocks of you ;) :D
If you use them and you think they help, then carry on using them. Its that simple.
i dont think they are used to 'rehabilitate an injury' as such. they are more used as a way to aid muscle fatigue after training/match. i used to think it was mad, and after trying it i still think its mad but your legs definitely dont be as stiff and sore the morning after a hard training session.
Quote from: illdecide on May 01, 2008, 12:47:45 PM
Quote from: Jinxy on May 01, 2008, 12:38:08 PM
Ice baths are not just used for injury rehabilitation.
Thats right, they are also used to freeze the bollocks of you ;) :D
:D :D :D :D :D :D
I went to on of those deep freeze tanks that are used for horses. Had a nagging leg injury that wouldn't clear up and I've had no problems what so ever since! just dont plan any action with the wife for about a day afterwards!
that's the one in julianstown i think, i used that as well- christ they made ice baths appear warm in comparison. legs were blocks of ice getting out of them as for the rest i'll say no more.
Do ice baths not lead to fertility problems ?? ;) :D ;D
Whatever about recovery from injury I have no doubt that my legs wouldn't be as sore or stiff the day after a hard training session if I used the ice baths.
Ask the Irish Rugby team ?
ICE CREAM is what they should have used, they couldn't have performed much worse!
lactic acid build up in the muscles
can be alleviated with a light jog and stretching
or with ice baths
you decide
alcohol in the system affects the rate of lactic acid build up
Our club are going to buy a couple of containers to use as ice baths.
we used to use wheelie bins but they are quite dangerous to get in and out of.
any suggestions on what kind of containers that are easy to obtain which would be suitable??
http://www.etills.com/acatalog/Outside_Storage.html, these kind of things would do the job. Make sure you have a fecking good ice maker tho
(http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z168/thewordisberry/icebath.jpg)
(http://www.newcastle-online.com/wp-content/gallery/Austria/Firstday/newcastle1021xm0.jpg)
(http://www.candksports.co.uk/images/ice_tub.jpg)
http://www.candksports.co.uk/ice_baths.htm (http://www.candksports.co.uk/ice_baths.htm)
All a bit gay if you ask me.
(http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44446000/jpg/_44446378_ice_baths.jpg)
Thats a bit better
that last picture looks like a group of he-shes
What the hell are they all smiling about? Tis bound to be freezing?
You're all a fecking laugh, if they were out langered drunk after winning a game ye'd all take a lash at them safe in the knowledge you'd get yer holes!!!!!
Our club actually built an ice bath in the showers there recently, with an ice machine attached to it. It can sit 5 in it at a time and is easily maintained.
A mortar tub is as handy as any to use. Fit a release tap towards the bottom of one side and it does the job. A lot cheaper than the craic you'd buy of them websites i would think.
i have a cold bath after long marathon training runs, always works, by that i mean i can walk with no pain the day after, skip the bath and i can see a big difference.
That horse box thing at Julianstown and the hydrotherapy sheep dip thing in Burren.
How far on your body can you sit/stand in those. I have a groin injury and wouldn't mind giving the one in Burren a rattle. Now I've been down to it before but I can't remember how far the water is allowed up on your body. Can it go to waist height or is that too high?
I recall the wee fella that runs it sayin it can stop any organs it comes into contact with...
I've sold a rake of mortar bins to football clubs in the last 18 months for use as ice baths
QuoteThat horse box thing at Julianstown and the hydrotherapy sheep dip thing in Burren.
We had 3 lads from the club in Julianstowm last year. All with Hamstrings so probably get groins as well. One guy lost the feeling in his thighs for a few months afterwards though!!!! Didn't actually stop him playing.
the horsebaths make ice baths appear warm. you stay in it for 10 mins. it works but by jesus is it cold.
Quote from: Glensman on June 27, 2008, 10:23:03 AM
That horse box thing at Julianstown and the hydrotherapy sheep dip thing in Burren.
How far on your body can you sit/stand in those. I have a groin injury and wouldn't mind giving the one in Burren a rattle. Now I've been down to it before but I can't remember how far the water is allowed up on your body. Can it go to waist height or is that too high?
I recall the wee fella that runs it sayin it can stop any organs it comes into contact with...
Goes just above the waist AFAIK
You normally stay in it for 10/15 mins
If it does go above the waist you and the Mrs will have a good night ;)
Ice baths have been used by track and field athletes for years. They are excellent just after a very hard training session to aid recovery. In terms of injury rehabilitation they are generally similar to using ice on the area. No miracle cure but no harm either. The cryotherapy chamber in Poland has been used by athletes for years, even if the IRFU et al only cottoned on in the last few years. It is slightly different to the ice bath and is used as a prehabilitation measure during heavy training. It is also used by endurance athletes as recovery after gruelling events. There is anecdotal evidence that it's useful in treating injury.
The other issue is the level of immersion. There is no real benefit to lowering your whole body into it. This simply adds to discomfort and freezes tissue that, lets face it, doesn't require that kind of (mis)treatment. It also ensures that you cannot bear to stay in long enough to get the maximum benefit. I remember the documentary about the Dubs where ice baths were used. There was a clip of Paul Casey shivering in the tub and someone poured water over his head. The water over his head only served to give him a thumping headache and he would have been far better off if he was standing with the water up to his upper thighs. This would have allowed him spend longer in the water and target his leg muscles.
As an aside I am acquainted with a multiple Olympian who put rubber gloves on the feet when entering the bath to ensure the feet were protected and allow longer exposure to the soothing effects of the ice water.
we used ice baths after our early january and february slogs in the mud and it definitely helped your post training recovery.i dunno if they wud be of much use after a training in mild weather on the firm ground tho