Hot Tubs, Saunas, and Ice Baths — The Best Post-Exercise Recovery Methods
Hot Tubs, Saunas, and Ice Baths — The Best Post-Exercise Recovery Methods
There is a lot of chatter about which post-exercise recovery method is best. Should you soak in a hot tub post-run? Head into your infrared sauna after tennis? Or should you skip hot temperatures altogether and dip into an icy bath? The good news is that there is evidence that all of the above can help support post-exercise recovery. Professional athletes have been known to use each of these methods to speed up recovery, prevent injury, and soothe sore muscles.
Why Do You Even Need Post-Exercise Recovery?
When you exercise, your muscles must have ample time to recover. Muscle recovery is a key component of muscle growth (which is why you’ve probably been advised to skip days of strength training). Proper recovery also supports injury, fatigue, and burnout prevention. Professional athletes train almost every day, so a lot of research looks into the best post-exercise recovery methods that help speed up recovery without having to pull back on training.
Recreational athletes may place less emphasis on performance-enhancing recovery methods, but still might be interested in the other benefits of post-exercise recovery, such as decreased muscle soreness and injury prevention.
Here are some of the top, backed-by-science, post-exercise recovery methods out there:
Note: It’s always important to check with your doctor before participating in hot or cold therapy.
Hot Tubs and Post-Exercise Recovery
A post-exercise hot tub soak can help both elite and recreational athletes adapt to exercising in heat better. This is an important consideration when training and competing throughout the summer. Hot water therapy can also help muscles recover faster after endurance exercise and reduce the symptoms of DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness.
Results seem to be best when soaking immediately after exercise.
That being said, soaking in the hot tub a couple of hours before bedtime can also support better sleep, which is an important factor for athletic performance enhancement and injury prevention.
Find the best hot tubs for exercise recovery
Saunas and Post-Exercise Recovery
Saunas provide several health benefits that make them a great post-exercise recovery tool. Saunas support decreased muscle soreness and stress and improved cardiovascular health because the heat helps increase blood flow. Blood flow is crucial for allowing muscles to repair properly in that it delivers fresh nutrients to the muscles and allows for more efficient elimination of muscle waste, allowing faster recovery. Research results on sauna’s performance-enhancing qualities in elite athletes vary. Still, elite athletes are known to use saunas as a recovery tool, with some participating in sauna therapy about 1-2 times per week.
Saunas are also best used for recovery immediately following exercise.
Find the best home saunas for exercise recovery
Ice Baths and Post-Exercise Recovery
Ice baths are an increasingly popular tool for post-exercise recovery because ice baths help tame inflammation. In this way, ice baths can help reduce muscle soreness and injury. The one tricky thing here is that ice baths constrict blood flow, which is an essential process of rebuilding muscles, so research has also shown that post-exercise ice baths may also inhibit strength gains in resistance training.
The bottom line is that all of the above can be helpful tools for post-exercise recovery, and what you choose may depend on your activity and goals. If you are an elite athlete, you’ll want to work with your training team to optimize your post-exercise recovery in the way that best supports your performance. Recreational athletes could use any of the above methods to help reduce muscle soreness and prevent injury, but make sure to check with your doctor first.