Dear Matt,
I'm afraid I don't have any references for this treatment,
I learnt of the method from a Martial Arts teacher I had, and have seen it
referred to in cycling magazines. I have also seen endurance cyclists using
ice baths after a hard race. However, although extremely subjective, myself
and others I know have used it after hard training, with slight soft tissue
injuries, and ligament/tendon soreness. Therefore, it's not possible to say
whether recovery times from training or injury are decreased, although it
appears thus.
I would suggest that the theoretical mechanisms by which it works, if at
all, are simple. By alternating hot and cold you are causing vasodilation
and vasoconstriction, thereby causing increases in the blood supply to the
affected site, and removal of the blood-borne by-products of training and
injury. Whether this is possible in deep-lying muscles is another question.
Additionally, this alternation will cause muscle contraction, perhaps also
acting on circulation.
As far as I know there are no contraindications. I haven't seen any research
on this treatment either. I hope this helps.
Many regards,
Ian
Ian Rogers M.Med.Sci.
232, Broomhall St,
SHEFFIELD S3 7SQ
UK
Tel. 0114 276 1018
E-mail [log in to unmask]
Website: www.sportconsult.freeserve.co.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: Matt McEwan <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 18 April 1999 12:37
Subject: Re: Hot/cold as Possible treatments for Exercise induced muscle
soreness
The hot and cold treatment should be done as
>follows: Firstly the shower water should be as hot or cold as the athlete
>can bear. Be careful! Starting with warm water build up the heat to the
>limit of reasonable tolerance, and once reached continue for three-5
>minutes, then go to cold straightaway. Alternate between the two, changing
>when the hot feels as the cold did and vice versa. Session shouldn't be any
>longer than 15mins.
Ian,
I am interested in the use of hot/cold as an aid to recovery following
intense exercise. A netball coach I work with heard about it at a lecture
for sports coaches, basically along the same lines you describe, except
using hot baths and immersion in ice baths. I have done Medline, embase,
sports discus and cinahl searches and found not one reference backing this
up. Can you shed any light on the suggested physiological benefits,
contraindications, evidence supporting use of hot/ cold therapy
regards
Matt McEwan
B App Sc (Physiotherapy)
M App Sc (Sports Physiotherapy)
Sydney, Australia
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