Ice Or Heat For Recovery?

Ice or Heat for Recovery?

Ice Bath benefits

Often you will see athletes offset injury by cold water immersion (ice bath) or cryotherapy. The cold constricts the blood vessels and decreases metabolic activity which reduces the swelling and breaking down of tissue. Once you’ve removed the cold, blood flow is then returned to the tissue and flushes the lymph system.

Heat Therapy benefits

There is less supporting evidence surrounding heat therapy however hot tubs are not discouraged. Heat is able to relax muscle tissue and allow better fluid circulation (such as hot yoga).

Which to choose?

There have been many studies that support the majority preferring cold therapy to the heat; whichever you choose, recovery is just another piece to healthy living comprising of exercise, diet, sleep, and recovery.

https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a20824689/the-benefits-of-ice-baths-for-runners/