It could help you recover from a tough workout.
Every athlete knows that education is a crucial part of performance. Sport and exercise research, insight from top trainers, science, and technology help you to better understand your body so you can craft a healthier lifestyle, workouts, and recovery plan.
In our daily news series, experts address some of the latest fitness research, nutrition, style, and health stories.
“There is considerable research that supports the use of cold-water immersion to reduce the perception of muscle soreness and muscle fatigue,” says Polly de Mille, CSCS, clinical supervisor at Tisch Sports Performance Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. The evidence on exactly why is less clear. Prevailing theories are based on the idea that the cold temperature reduces swelling and inflammation in the muscle (either via restricting blood flow or working alongside water pressure to encourage fluid to move to the center of the body), or slows down the speed of nerve conduction, dampening the perception of soreness and pain. It could also be a placebo effect combined with the distraction of suffering through frigid temps, de Mille adds.