Over the past 20 years, ice baths have been a promoted post-workout recovery for elite athletes. The practice of submerging your body in cold (15 degrees or less) or near freezing water was believed to tackle exercise-induced muscle inflammation namely delayed‐onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
There have been many scientific studies over the years into this practice and so far none have concluded any significant benefits, they have actually concluded that they may cause greater post workout pain and discomfort.
This was clearly set out in a study over 10 years ago and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2007 where they concluded that:
“The protocol of ice‐water immersion used in this study was ineffectual in minimising markers of DOMS in untrained individuals. This study challenges the wide use of this intervention as a recovery strategy by athletes.”
And more recently in 2016 research conducted by the Queensland University of Technology found that ice baths have barely any effect on post-muscle exercise inflammation.
The study, published in the Journal of Physiology, concluded that the painful post-workout practice is no more effective than the age-old method of low-intensity ‘cooling down’ and indicate they do not reduce cellular stress in muscle tissue after a bout of exercise.
The pseudoscience behind the idea of ice baths is based on the fact that immersion in near-freezing water reduces muscle temperature and blood flow. As a result, it was thought that the practice of voluntary immersion would repair broken down muscles by reducing inflammation, actually the opposite is the case and far more damage can occur through micro tears in the muscle fibres and shocking the actual cells within.
The lead researcher of the study, Dr Jonathan Peake, said “Considering the discomfort associated with ice baths, athletes may be better off doing a light warm down after their training sessions or competitive events.”
“Athletes across various sports will need to re-think their strategies to minimise inflammation in the muscle.”
The best and scientifically proven strategy we know of here at BMS Matrix, which is also endorsed and proven by many leading professional athletes in the German speaking world over the last 20 years, is the one of BMS Matrix therapy followed by wIRA heating, there is nothing proven to be better at repairing muscle damage or stress at the cellular level after any physical exercise or workout.
This is now being scientifically backed by leading research at Harvard where Mechanical stimulation has been shown to repair muscle – Wyss and SEAS teams have found new strength in regenerative medicine through BMS.
Equip yourself for the future, Bio-Mechanical Stimulation & Extracellular Matrix therapy is the therapy of the 21st Century.
