Why shouldn’t you put ice on your muscles after working out?

Cooling is one of the most popular ways of recovery after heavy physical exertion. Let’s find out how such rehabilitation can be useful and whether it can be harmful.

honored master of sports in sambo, expert of X-Fit fitness club chain in Russia

Many people unconsciously apply a piece of cold ice to the place of a bruise or injury. And it is right: cold slows down blood flow, preventing the appearance of swelling or bruising. Proven and a slight analgesic effect of such a procedure.

And what happens to the body after exhausting training? Basically, the same thing. We get invisible microtraumas, which in the future can provoke more serious disorders. That’s why a timely stopped inflammatory process not only helps muscles recover faster, but also prevents the development of unwanted diseases.

Is it necessary to completely immerse in the cold after training?

First of all, it should be noted that ice and ice baths are used by professional athletes after competitions or heavy loads as one of the means for faster recovery.

Is an ice bath useful? There is no unambiguous answer to this question. If we look at professional athletes who have used this method, we can talk about its effectiveness. But in terms of the effect of low temperatures on the human body, everything is ambiguous: there are both supporters and opponents of the method.

Resonance in the situation brings the fact that now with numerous scientific studies, there is no evidence of the effectiveness of the method. Opponents of cooling procedures believe: if a single application of ice to a bruised place can bring relief, then regular immersion in ice water for a long time can have a negative impact on the body.

Vacation or ice bath?

Specialists recommend not to expose your body to sudden temperature changes and recover by other methods. And resort to ice water only in the most urgent cases, for example, if there is a new race ahead, and in the legs – unbearable pain.

In this case, no one talks about the mandatory full immersion: it is enough to dip only problem areas in the cold. It is the same in fitness: it is not advisable to use ice after training or with small loads. It is better to just let the body rest.