Ice baths

tunney

I've been saying for a good while that they were pointless and didn't work as people thought.........


http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/other/2012/1108/1224326328953.html

Unregistered.

tunney wrote: »

I've been saying for a good while that they were pointless and didn't work as people thought.........


http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/other/2012/1108/1224326328953.html

The article states that

"Cold water has been thought to reduce inflammation, swelling, and muscle spasms and therefore pain, meaning an athlete can perform again at high level more quickly"

and that

"No differences were found between those who used cold water therapy and other cool-down methods in terms of athletes’ perception of pain or in their biochemical markers of muscle cell damage"

So they do work...

ThisRegard

I posted similar research a couple of years ago so it's old enough news these days.

tunney

ThisRegard wrote: »

I posted similar research a couple of years ago so it's old enough news these days.

Likewise but i thought I'd it reached a tabloid paper it would be dumbed down enough for here.

When posters have powers of comprehension like unregistered it needs to be simple. Although it appears we need the Sun version for him.

Unregistered.

tunney wrote: »

When posters have powers of comprehension like unregistered it needs to be simple. Although it appears we need the Sun version for him.

What am I not understanding? The research suggests that ice baths are no more or less effective than "other" cool-down methods.

elvis jones

tunney wrote: »

I've been saying for a good while that they were pointless and didn't work as people thought.........


http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/other/2012/1108/1224326328953.html

Physio advised of the same, said it only heals and works for the time actually in the bath.

peter kern

Unregistered. wrote: »

What am I not understanding? The research suggests that ice baths are no more or less effective than "other" cool-down methods.

the only thing then is they can increase the risk you catching a cold with ice bathing, and if you are one of those people to whom that happens they can have and negative effect on you.

Anyway as with all those things like ( high) altitude training compresions socks etc etc they work for some and not for others.

If anything it shows you how flawed 'scientific' testing can be, as there is indeed studies that would come to a result that ice bath work . Up to today its still used in quite a lot high performace programs around the world.
a lot of high performance programs move actually to deep freeze chambers.
will be interesting to see where we will stand with that topic in 20 years.

RacoonQueen

Never understood the obsession with ice baths. Don't really see any benefits to doing it myself, but obviously some people do...

Clinic a guy I was in college with has a huge one they use in treatments http://www.ratoathsportsinjurycentre.ie/icespa.html

just-joe

They also pose a number of potentially serious health risks.

the article doesnt say what the dangerous or negative effects are. apart from getting colds, what are they?

sconhome

just-joe wrote: »

the article doesnt say what the dangerous or negative effects are. apart from getting colds, what are they?

Heart attack from the cold and your nuts disappearing.

Oryx

Ice baths horrible, for a start. I dont know about the health issues of ice baths but people get frostbite in those cryo chambers all the time.

BTH

Anyone else thinking they found this pic of Jess Ennis and desperately pulled together a non-story around it. Personally I feel cheated. Who in their right mind has a bath with clothes on?? :rolleyes:

peter kern

amphkingwest wrote: »

Heart attack from the cold and your nuts disappearing.

now the 2nd aspect could be great for some people with bike issues ;-)

TriWazza

tunney wrote: »

I've been saying for a good while that they were pointless and didn't work as people thought.........


http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/other/2012/1108/1224326328953.html

Nothing saying its wrong or right but do you not think its difficult to draw broad based conclusions on the back one randomized controlled trial? Have you even looked at the methodology of the study? I would caution athletes and coaches alike drawing conclusions from something with such a narrow focus.

The media has a lot to answer for with regard to reporting of scientific evidence. Time and again we see some poorly conducted 'scientific' trial trotted out in a magazine advising athletes to do one thing or anything. Crazy stuff.

tunney

TriWazza wrote: »

Nothing saying its wrong or right but do you not think its difficult to draw broad based conclusions on the back one randomized controlled trial? Have you even looked at the methodology of the study? I would caution athletes and coaches alike drawing conclusions from something with such a narrow focus.

The media has a lot to answer for with regard to reporting of scientific evidence. Time and again we see some poo conducted 'scientific' trial trotted out in a magazine advising athletes to do one thing or anything. Crazy stuff.

I wasn't actually basing my opinion on this. I've read lots of studies about ice baths and the only positive any of them had was "well if the athlete thinks it helps thats good too".

TriWazza

tunney wrote: »

I wasn't actually basing my opinion on this. I've read lots of studies about ice baths and the only positive any of them had was "well if the athlete thinks it helps thats good too".

Again I would caution this ... what sort of studies?from what source? Sport specific? how was it conducted? Outcome measures? Can you critically appraise the information you are reading? What level of scientific evidence are you looking at? Is it a meta analysis or systematic review? I'm not trying to question you just saying that I would caution athletes to really understand what they are reading before drawing conclusions on a whole host of things.

sconhome

The main issue with any of the sciency bits of sports are applications being carried over from product to product by association.

By this I mean, take the recent giggle about the recovery oxygen mattress.

The science to back up the claims of the fibre (only a part of the mattress) was testing on people who suffered with chronic lower leg pain, diabetic type nerve and sensitivity problems.

Due to a perceived improvement in this instatance, a broad brush was used for all applications of the fibre, hence great recovery for athletes. Why? because being an athlete is no longer just a type of sporty person, its a marketing buzz word.

Same thing should apply to Ice baths miracle of recovery claims all with all such claims, take with a healthy dose of salt (preferably Himalayan salt cos its purer)