Loved by athletes, celebrities, and fitness influencers alike, ice baths have long been one of the biggest trends in the health and fitness realm. Known for enhancing muscle repair, and reducing soreness and pain, they’re also said to improve concentration, and even boost sleep quality and skin tone. But, do they really work? And are they really the miracle recovery therapy that they claim to be, or just a passing fashion that will one day be forgotten?
Below, we cover all you need to know.
While sitting in a hot tub can promote relaxation, and help ease stiff joints, research shows that warm water isn’t as effective at promoting post-workout muscle recovery as cold water is. Rather than slowing down blood flow to the muscles, hot baths actually do the opposite and promote blood flow to the muscles by dilating blood vessels. However, while a session in the hot tub isn’t the ideal immediate post-race or workout ritual, sitting in hot water a few days after your heavy session is proven to be a great way of soothing sore muscles and melting away stress. At FitRepublik, we provide both hot and cold tub recovery experiences, enabling athletes of all levels to find the perfect muscle recovery routine for their body.
Creating your own ice bath at home does come with several risks. Prolonged exposure to cold temperatures may result in hypothermia, and it can cause serious cardiac stress. Ice baths are therefore not recommended for anyone with heart, blood pressure, or circulatory issues, or people with nerve disorders. To ensure your ice bath is a fun, safe, and invigorating experience, we recommend doing it under the supervision of a qualified professional, and in a specialist ice plunge tub. At FitRepublik, we provide expert guidance about how to effectively use ice baths for deep muscle repair, pain relief, and relaxation.
Whether you are an athlete looking to add ice plunge therapy into your recovery routine, or a passionate health enthusiast who is interested in trying an ice bath for the very first time, we will advise you on the best course of treatment for you, and ensure you recover as quickly and effectively as possible.
To find out more about ice baths at FitRepublik, please visit our Wellness Centre page.
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Fit Republik and its sister facility Studio Republik are subsidiaries of FI Holdings