Among the several advantages of soaking in warm water are relaxation of the body and stress release. What about soaking in cold water? Cold water treatment, also known as cryotherapy, is a form of muscle recovery that is popular among athletes. This therapeutic method involves soaking in a tub that is filled with water and ice cubes. Is this treatment truly effective?

What is cold water therapy?

Cold water therapy, cold immersion, or cryotherapy are all terms that refer to the practice of soaking in cold water. For the purpose of treating various health problems, this treatment involves soaking in water that is around 15 degrees Celsius in temperature.

For hundreds of years, people have soaked this way. At first, this treatment involved immersing the patient in water that had ice cubes added to it. At the moment, this treatment is still being carried out; however, it can also be done by taking a shower that is ice cold or by swimming in the natural environment at a temperature that is cool.

After exercise, athletes take this therapy to relieve muscle pain. Your muscle fibers will slightly tear during intense workouts. The objective of training is to stimulate muscle cell activity, repair damage, and strengthen muscles by inducing microscopic muscle injury. Nevertheless, it also contributes to post-exercise onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which manifests between 24 and 72 hours following exercise.

Cold water therapy is considered to:

• Restricts blood vessels and eliminates waste products, including lactic acid, from damaged tissues.
• Decreases metabolic activity and slows down physiological reactions.
• Reduces tissue damage and swelling.

Blood flow will increase faster after bathing and body warming. This procedure may also accelerate the recovery process after an exercise.

Read more: Not Just Sports, This Is The Cause Of Muscle Pain That Is Often Not Aware Of

Benefits of cold water therapy

There are a number of reported health benefits to soaking in cold water, such as:

Relieves pain after exercise

Low temperatures constrict blood vessels, which may help in relieving pain. Blood circulation improves, and muscles will relax following an ice bath. According to studies, soaking oneself in cold water one hour following exercise can help with pain and speed up recovery for up to 24 hours.

Read more: Which Is Better, Wash Your Face With Cold Water Or Warm Water?

Reduces body temperature faster

Soaking in ice water may result in a more rapid reduction in body temperature than simply staying in the cold or at a normal temperature. The trick is not to only bathe yourself in cold water but also to immerse your whole body. Long-distance runners implement this to lower body temperature faster.

Improves mood

Research suggests that soaking in cold water can have a positive effect on a person's mood. A study found that being in cold sea water for 20 minutes can make you feel better. However, people of all ages can't soak in cold sea water. Only young, fit, and healthy people should try cold water immersion therapy in these natural waters.

Ice water immersion or cold shower therapy have been suggested to relieve muscle pain after exercise. At home, you can perform this procedure by immersing your body in cold water that contains ice cubes. Avoid soaking in extremely cold water for an extended period of time, as this might cause your body temperature to drop significantly.

More research is required to determine the benefits of this therapy. Therefore, avoid doing this without first consulting a physiotherapist or medical rehabilitation expert. If you have any issues regarding post-workout recovery, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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