Ice water bath: All you need to know about the go-to recovery technique for athletes

Taking an ice-cold bath may not sound like an experience to look forward to after a grilling workout, but this seemingly painful method is actually widely used to speed up the recovery time. Recently Indian Skipper and the Captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore Virat Kohli, shared his pictures, where he can be seen chilling (literally) in a tub of icy water to relax his body, after a rigorous training session. Plunging into a bucket or a tub filled with icy water may seem like a daunting task, but be rest assured that it is touted to be one of the best methods to soothe post-workout stiffness.

Ice baths are widely used by athletes after a strenuous workout session or in between grilling matches during the competitions to kickstart their recovery and reduce the soreness and muscle pain. As various spas and sports medicine clinics have begun to offer the chilling ice bath experience, diving into a tub filled with ice is slowly gaining popularity outside professional sports as well. Before you decide to dunk yourself in the ice-cold water, it is extremely important to understand whether or not cold water immersion will be useful for you.

An ice water bath is exactly how it sounds. It is sitting in a bucket or tub of ice-cold water, up to your chest for 10 to 15 minutes. The temperature of the water can be anywhere from 10 to 15-degree Celsius. A lot of competitive athletes (and even fitness enthusiasts) resort to ice water bath after an intense exercise session to ease sore and aching muscles.

When you first enter the water, you may feel extremely cold, followed by a sharp chilling sensation. After a while, as you settle down, you may feel numbness. While the ideal timing for cold water immersion is said to be anywhere around 10 to 15 minutes, it is advisable to start with 3 to 5 minutes of ice bath first and then see how you feel about it. A lot of studies suggest immersing yourself in the ice-cold water as soon as you are finished with your game or workout session to avail maximum benefits.

The theory behind ice water bath is that it reduces the inflammation caused by microscopic muscle tears which are often the result of an intense workout. It is also known to reduce swelling and tissue breakdown. It is further linked with constricting blood vessels and drainage of waste products like lactic acids out of the affected tissues. Dunking in ice-cold water after a rigorous workout session is also known to aid recovery by limiting the body’s inflammatory response and the amount of inflammation.

It is important to understand that the jury is still out on the exact health benefits and more research needs to be conducted to understand the full extent of pros and cons of ice baths and cold water immersion. Emerging researches also suggest that suppressing the inflammation process by icing or taking an ice water bath after a rigorous workout, may hinder muscle regeneration. Hence, if your goal is to build muscles or you have just finished doing strength training workout, it is best that you avoid ice baths.

While ice baths may not be necessary for everyone after working out, they do offer immediate pain relief by soothing sore muscles and may even help your recover a bit faster.

If you are tempted to try out the ice bath, it is advisable to weigh your risks beforehand. If you have a preexisting heart condition, the exposure to icy cold water may lead to an increase in both your blood pressure and heart rate. When the ice-cold water constricts your blood vessels, it becomes harder for your heart to pump blood. Hence, an ice water bath can be risky for those with an existing heart condition or high blood pressure. Ultimately, it is strongly advisable to speak to your medical advisor if you are thinking of inculcating ice water bath in your post-training regime.