Cold-Water Immersion for Athletic Performance
“Ice, the old reliable, was the status quo for me after every game, every practice.” - Kobe
Have you ever thought about taking an ice bath or stepping into a cold tub? Many of you might be familiar with what they are, but might be unsure of when to do them, at what temperature, for how long, & the performance implications, etc..
I’ve went ahead & read through the scientific literature to provide you with a better understanding of why professional athletes like LeBron James utilize this recovery tool.
Let’s start off by making this topic as simple as possible - since there are a lot studies outlining it. When you train/compete, your body experiences stress, fatigue, & in some cases muscle damage. As a result, you are left feeling tired, sore, & sometimes unmotivated to continue on.
To help solve or prevent these issues, teams have begun implementing cold-water immersion (CWI). A 2022 systematic review concluded,
“CWI was effective at positively influencing power performance for both eccentric & high-intensity exercise. CWI was also effective at reducing CK concentrations as well as reducing DOMS & increasing perceived recovery,” (Moore et al., 2022).
Essentially, movements such as sprinting, jumping, cutting, push/pull, were all positively affected due to ice baths. Since these are all movements seen commonly in sport, it’d be smart for athletes to take advantage of the cold tub. Additionally, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) was reduced, allowing participants to feel more recovered. We’ll talk about the benefits for our brain coming up.
Stress comes in all kinds of forms: school, social pressures, training, & so on. CWI can help with managing the tolls those stresses take on your body. The study by Moore & colleagues continues by stating,
“Cooling of the neuromuscular system reduces central nervous system fatigue, which could be why dynamic muscular performance has been significantly improved following CWI,” (Moore et al., 2022).
All the previously mentioned stressors affect your central nervous system (CNS). If the stress is negative, then it will negatively affect your performance. Ice baths / cold tubs are a great way to dampen those effects & give you a better chance at succeeding. You might be asking yourself, how does all this work?
The human body is an amazing system full of checks & balances which are constantly changing based on our environment & what we experience. Deliberately exposing ourselves to cold temperatures requires our bodies to react appropriately. The 2022 study explains,
“Resultant alterations in tissue blood flow, post-exercise fluid retention & metabolic activity may accelerate the recovery process via the reduction of muscle damage, swelling & inflammation, muscle spasm, pain, & thermal strain. CWI may also improve mood due to endorphin release & enhance perceptions of recovery by reducing muscular soreness via an analgesic effect,” (Moore et al.,).
The hydrostatic pressure & temperature of the water changes the way our blood flows to our muscles. Because of this, culprits responsible for pain (swelling/inflammation), are reduced. Additional hormones are released in response to the change in environment which leaves us with a feeling of recovery. When & how should we take an ice bath?
The literature suggests that shorter time & lower temperatures provided the most significant effects. You want the water to be around 50-60 degrees, & tolerable. Generally speaking, do not stay in any longer than 15mins to avoid any hypothermia risks. Aim for about 10mins if you can. Always make sure you are under adequate supervision & have permission from a health professional.
The timing is recommended for 24-48hrs before the next upcoming competition. Before you jump in, I would suggest you try this out beforehand to see how it affects you in practice, rather than experiencing the results for the first time during a competition.
That wraps things up for cold-water immersion! I hope this answers most of your questions & you enjoyed the read. If you found value from this post, please feel free to share with a friend/teammate. Also check us out on social & reach out if you’re interested in training with NWP. #MakeWaves
