It is a trending thing – using cold treatments if you get injured in sports.
So, why is this therapy taking hold?
The reason is simple – cold treatments that either involve ice packs or the use of machines, numbs the soreness of an injury, serving as a natural local anesthetic.Therefore, the application of cold treatments slows down the messages sent by the brain’s receptors that lead to pain and sensitivity.
Medical professionals therefore believe cold therapy helps reduce the swelling connected with joint, tendon, and muscle discomfort and pain. Click here to know more about the benefits of cold therapy for recovering athletes.
The 5 Advantages of Using Cold Treatments for Recovery
Below are the 5 benefits associated with the use of cold treatments for athletic recovery.
1. A Soothing Way to Relieve Sore Muscles
Cold and compression therapy constructs blood vessels and opens them up after you complete the process. This helps the body flush out metabolic waste, especially the residue in the lymph nodes, thereby speeding up the transport of oxygen and nutrients. When this happens, recovery is faster. Because the body temperature decreases, it limits the inflammatory response as well.
2. Your Immune System Works Better
Your body contains both healthy and unhealthy fat. While brown fat is good fat, white fat is unhealthy. Therefore, the tissue inside brown fat cells converts energy through thermogenesis. In turn, your metabolism improves, which elevates your immune system response. When ice is used for therapeutic reasons, it steps up thermogenic activity.
3. It Helps You Deal with Stress
Using cold treatments for healing and recovery also helps you manage stress. Your mind is focused to handle various stimuli and sensations when cold treatments are used to treat injuries.
4. It Leads to Better Sleep
The use of ice affects the central nervous system, which supports rest and sleep. By applying cold treatments, your body becomes more relaxed so you can enjoy a better night’s sleep.
5. Athletic Performance Improves
Using cold treatments make it possible for you to excel in sports because you can focus more on the game instead of an injury. Because the use of ice water reduces swelling and inflammation, you can perform much better and improve your performance overall.
When Not to Use Cryotherapy
Ice or cold treatments should not be applied before a workout or if an injury is located in the area of the ulnar nerve, also called the “funny bone.” It is not suggested if an athlete has suffered blood loss or has Raynaud’s disease.
Also, ice or cold applications should never be used on an area with an open wound or where the skin is thin, blistered, or burned. Some patients may get urticaria (hives) when applying cold treatments as well. Otherwise, in most situations, this form of therapy is highly recommended for athletic recovery.
In Summation
Using cold treatments make it possible for athletes to recover from injury or workouts much faster. The use of cold treatment machines is recommended, as you can maintain the temperature of the machine which, in turn, lends to better healing and health.