Roy SkillenIce Baths
May 14th 2008 00:07
I have always thought that the craze sweeping through the sporting world of hopping in to an ice bath or swimming in the freezing sea at the end of an event was pretty stupid. Everything shrivels up, brain freeze takes over, you can’t think or talk or move so what is the bloody point? What good do you get out of it? I was finally talked in to giving it a go (after a couple of beers it must be said) by my wife who is a long term advocate of swimming in the sea during the winter, and I tell you what, after the initial shock it felt pretty damn good. I came away feeling alive and very refreshed.
After researching the ice bath further I found that it’s not just sports men and women who are taking to this strangest of ritual. People are actually using the ice bath when they get home from work or even just to start the day. But what I was most amazed about is that this is definitely not a placebo, this is actually backed by scientific fact.
To understand why the ice bath works we will have to understand exactly what happens in the body after a hard day’s work. As we exercise or put in a good hard days graft our heart beat increases pumping much needed oxygen to our over worked muscles. As our muscles struggle with the excessive work they produce waste products, the most common of these being lactic acid. Too much lactic acid build up can cause the muscles to function poorly and over a long period of time feelings of fatigue, heavy legs and general tiredness can set in. When we have finished our particular exercise our body needs to get rid of these waste products. It does this through the blood vessels, which carry the oxygen to and from the muscles.
But how does an ice bath or a swim in a cold sea help with the detoxification process? When we hop in to the cold water our blood vessels tighten instantly draining them of blood. If you stay in for ten minutes (this seems to be the standard amount of time) you will begin to feel numb. When you climb out of the water you blood vessels will open allowing new blood carrying fresh oxygen to your muscles, which will invigorate them helping prevent injury and leaving you feeling refreshed and ready to take on a new day.
But which is better, an ice bath or a dip in the sea?
While an ice bath will probably rejuvenate the muscles better, an ocean dip may actually have other health benefits. Dermatologist Dr Adrian Lim says “The main benefit of salt water is the positive psychological effects of being in contact with nature and its elements - surf, sand, salt water and sun. The Dead Sea is a revered destination for healing skin diseases particularly psoriasis”. Psoriasis is a condition that produces unsightly rashes all over the body. For a long time British dermatologists have prescribed a dead-sea holiday as treatment for psoriasis (and other skin conditions) as they seem to clear up in that environment. It was initially thought to be the beneficial effects of salt water and other natural chemicals. However we now know that many skin conditions including psoriasis are worsened by stress. And there is nothing like being in the beach/surf environment to de-stress. Ultraviolet light from the sun has anti-inflammatory properties and is exploited by dermatologists as phototherapy. Unfortunately too much sunlight can burn the skin and in the long run cause skin cancers. So just be careful when you’re out in the surf, always wear suntan lotion as the sun can be dangerous even in winter.
So there you have it these people that you thought were crazy chattering away in the sea early in the morning actually knew more than you did.
To understand why the ice bath works we will have to understand exactly what happens in the body after a hard day’s work. As we exercise or put in a good hard days graft our heart beat increases pumping much needed oxygen to our over worked muscles. As our muscles struggle with the excessive work they produce waste products, the most common of these being lactic acid. Too much lactic acid build up can cause the muscles to function poorly and over a long period of time feelings of fatigue, heavy legs and general tiredness can set in. When we have finished our particular exercise our body needs to get rid of these waste products. It does this through the blood vessels, which carry the oxygen to and from the muscles.
But how does an ice bath or a swim in a cold sea help with the detoxification process? When we hop in to the cold water our blood vessels tighten instantly draining them of blood. If you stay in for ten minutes (this seems to be the standard amount of time) you will begin to feel numb. When you climb out of the water you blood vessels will open allowing new blood carrying fresh oxygen to your muscles, which will invigorate them helping prevent injury and leaving you feeling refreshed and ready to take on a new day.
While an ice bath will probably rejuvenate the muscles better, an ocean dip may actually have other health benefits. Dermatologist Dr Adrian Lim says “The main benefit of salt water is the positive psychological effects of being in contact with nature and its elements - surf, sand, salt water and sun. The Dead Sea is a revered destination for healing skin diseases particularly psoriasis”. Psoriasis is a condition that produces unsightly rashes all over the body. For a long time British dermatologists have prescribed a dead-sea holiday as treatment for psoriasis (and other skin conditions) as they seem to clear up in that environment. It was initially thought to be the beneficial effects of salt water and other natural chemicals. However we now know that many skin conditions including psoriasis are worsened by stress. And there is nothing like being in the beach/surf environment to de-stress. Ultraviolet light from the sun has anti-inflammatory properties and is exploited by dermatologists as phototherapy. Unfortunately too much sunlight can burn the skin and in the long run cause skin cancers. So just be careful when you’re out in the surf, always wear suntan lotion as the sun can be dangerous even in winter.
So there you have it these people that you thought were crazy chattering away in the sea early in the morning actually knew more than you did.
| 39 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
