There are so many claims on the benefits of cold water immersion that it's becoming normal to have an ice bath at home. But does the science reinforce getting chilly? Coach Fletch, our resident physiology takes a deep dive.
If you’re strapped for time then the short answer to this is NO. I know this is an unpopular opinion but if you’re willing to read on then YES there are some benefits, just not the ones you’re hoping for.
There are so many claims surrounding the benefits of ice baths, which is more commonly referred to as cold water immersion. In a survey I conducted on 50 runners, enhanced recovery was the most reported benefit, closely followed by reduced inflammation. However, if you type in benefits for ice baths into google the list of claims is insane.
In short:
Enhanced recovery 🚫 - Has failed to show improvements in returning people back to baseline measures of jump height, muscle fibre recruitment etc faster than just rest.
Reduced inflammation 🚫 - Blood flow to peripheral limbs is reduced but this has not been shown to reduce inflammation inside the damaged muscle.
Increased testosterone 🚫 - in fact may delay or blunt increases in testosterone post resistance exercise.
Balancing hormones 🚫 - To my current knowledge, this has not been studied for either healthy or menopausal females.
Benefits do include:
Sense of achievement ✅ - Not to be underestimated.
Perception of enhanced recovery ✅ - People feel more recovered and go into subsequent performances with less inhibition.
The research that has shown improvement in recovery fails to distinguish between the effects of hydrostatic pressure (the compression of the water) or temperature. And so potentially just the act of being in deep water is sufficient. This does imply that laying down flat in water is different to standing up in water. Laying down reduces the pressure of water on the limbs and therefore may reduce the potential recovery benefits. The good news is that it doesn’t even have to be that cold: 10 degrees celsius is cold enough.