Ice baths - at best waste of time, at worst dangerous ?

[muppet]

from a personal experience, if I take a knock, slight pull, twinge etc...,a few sessions of 7-8 mins in a cold bath works wonders, at least halves the recovery time

After a heavy training session I certainly don't feel as bad the next day if I've been in the ice bath/trough just after it.

Is there any scientific analysis of lactic acid build up or is this short piece only based on injuries?

100% agree with you. I've done sessions where I know I'd be struggling to walk the next day only for the ice bath/hot shower rotation after training. Maybe its the placebo effect but I very, very much doubt it.

I don't think they are talking about Guinness Seanie.

[DirtyDozen12]

100% agree with you. I've done sessions where I know I'd be struggling to walk the next day only for the ice bath/hot shower rotation after training. Maybe its the placebo effect but I very, very much doubt it.

Placebo effect surely in my opinion.  Half of this stuff is in people's head if you ask me, ive took them after heavy training sessions and have also not taken them after heavy training sessions and there is no difference IMO.  All in your mind, if people believe that they work better for them though then i say carry on, better to have a positive thought about something as opposed to a negative one.

[dundrumite]

http://www.badscience.net/

First paragraph of this sprang to me when reading the opening comment on this thread.

[blewuporstuffed]

from a personal experience, if I take a knock, slight pull, twinge etc...,a few sessions of 7-8 mins in a cold bath works wonders, at least halves the recovery time

After a heavy training session I certainly don't feel as bad the next day if I've been in the ice bath/trough just after it.

Is there any scientific analysis of lactic acid build up or is this short piece only based on injuries?

100% agree with you. I've done sessions where I know I'd be struggling to walk the next day only for the ice bath/hot shower rotation after training. Maybe its the placebo effect but I very, very much doubt it.

I'd be in agreement there.  They definitely benefit me the next day after a heavy (training) session. 

i would agree aswell,I suppose its hard to gues what you would feel like if you hadnt used them, but i def think ice baths reduce muscle soreness after a tough session.

[magpie seanie]

from a personal experience, if I take a knock, slight pull, twinge etc...,a few sessions of 7-8 mins in a cold bath works wonders, at least halves the recovery time

After a heavy training session I certainly don't feel as bad the next day if I've been in the ice bath/trough just after it.

Is there any scientific analysis of lactic acid build up or is this short piece only based on injuries?

100% agree with you. I've done sessions where I know I'd be struggling to walk the next day only for the ice bath/hot shower rotation after training. Maybe its the placebo effect but I very, very much doubt it.

I don't think they are talking about Guinness Seanie.

Oh I've different methods for getting over those sessions. They don't involve ice baths at all though now that I think of it... 

[blanketattack]

Do teams actually use ice baths still?
I thought they'd gone out of fashion along with electric shock therapy

[HiMucker]

I have just dug out a brochure i got last year that has the following quote

"It is widely used by many athletes and coaches, although there has been little research into its effectiveness... An interesting point that consistenly emerges within the research of CTW (Contrast Temperature Water immersion) is that the method provides the athlete with an enhanced psychological perception of recovery after excersise.  This psychological benefit alone provides a considerable boost to the athletes recovery"  LIFESTYLE, GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHT, COACHING IRELAND

I have the whole booklet scanned if anyone wants it

[mannix]

personally speaking, after the long runs for marathon training i will sit in a bath of ice cold water, the little general gets littler and my legs go whiter but the day after i could run again without a bother. There must be some good in it.

[Premier Emperor]

So ice baths work because they give you a proverbial root up the arse to wake you up after training.

[irunthev]

Thankfully I'm too old to be bothered by these ice baths and total respect to those who use them, but on the couple of occasions that I have tried one the breathing part has been the big issue for me, as I have genuinely struggled to catch my breath while being exposed to such cold...
Anything that does that to you can't be good in my opinion. The little geneal mentioned by someone in an earlier post also diminishes / disappears.... likewise anything that does that to the general can't be good for you.
Somethings make you glad to be old and arthritic.... ice baths are one such thing.

[AbbeySider]

I dont think Ice Baths are a total wast of time as there is something to heating and cooling of muscles helping them repair and recover.

I find that the sauna, cold shower, sauna, cold shower process even better

[Zulu]

Thats not the general trend at all, given that this piece makes news becuase it bucks the general trend.

That's simply not true there are a number of research papers that have shown ice baths don't work.

I'd agree that they're mebbe not worth the hassle, but to use your own argument, given that they are as effective as traditional cool downs, surely that suggests some benefit beyond a placebo effect?

I was quoting one study that reported this but I'm pretty sure the placebo effect is what most research has concluded is the mechanism for athletes feeling better.

I haven't had time, and probably won't today, but I'll look into the research and if I can post the papers here I will or I'll send them on to anyone interested to read for themselves.

I'd know Alan Donnelly fairly well and he is a respected scientist so I wouldn't question his research methods or conclusions.

[haranguerer]

Thats not the general trend at all, given that this piece makes news becuase it bucks the general trend.

That's simply not true there are a number of research papers that have shown ice baths don't work.

I'd agree that they're mebbe not worth the hassle, but to use your own argument, given that they are as effective as traditional cool downs, surely that suggests some benefit beyond a placebo effect?

I was quoting one study that reported this but I'm pretty sure the placebo effect is what most research has concluded is the mechanism for athletes feeling better.

I haven't had time, and probably won't today, but I'll look into the research and if I can post the papers here I will or I'll send them on to anyone interested to read for themselves.

I'd know Alan Donnelly fairly well and he is a respected scientist so I wouldn't question his research methods or conclusions.

You're grand Zulu, I'm only really going on the personal experience and the fact that thon article went for the sensationalism effect which always pisses me off. I dont have anything concrete to dispute any evidence you have.

[Puckoon]

Thats not the general trend at all, given that this piece makes news becuase it bucks the general trend.

That's simply not true there are a number of research papers that have shown ice baths don't work.

I'd agree that they're mebbe not worth the hassle, but to use your own argument, given that they are as effective as traditional cool downs, surely that suggests some benefit beyond a placebo effect?

I was quoting one study that reported this but I'm pretty sure the placebo effect is what most research has concluded is the mechanism for athletes feeling better.

I haven't had time, and probably won't today, but I'll look into the research and if I can post the papers here I will or I'll send them on to anyone interested to read for themselves.

I'd know Alan Donnelly fairly well and he is a respected scientist so I wouldn't question his research methods or conclusions.

You may be right about the issue at hand Zulu - but if all scientists didnt question their peers - it would be an ignorant world!

[Zulu]

You're right Puckoon but they are experts in the field and would have read the paper. I could be wrong but I don't think anyone here has read the actual paper or has the necessary expertise to readily question it. If they have by all means tear into it and I'm sure, like must sports research, there is much you could question.