Is an ice bath healthy after exercise?

Answer

An ice bath could increase blood flow on the one hand and reduce inflammatory reactions on the other.

The positive effect of increasing blood flow is that potentially harmful or painful waste products (such as lactic acid, potassium, etc.) are removed more quickly. This would increase the recovery capacity.

Reducing inflammatory reactions would ensure that the so-called DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness) decrease: this is an inflammatory reaction that occurs in the muscles 12-48 hours after practicing strenuous exercise (which is not common). This is what is popularly called “stiff muscles”.

However, all of the above information has only been scientifically proven to a limited extent;

With regard to the question of the harmfulness of these ice baths: an ice bath (or, for example, during the so-called polar bear swimming in winter) raises the blood pressure. In itself, this has little negative influence for healthy, sporty people without cardiovascular disease.

In the elderly, especially men, with an already high blood pressure or other cardiovascular diseases, this extreme increase in blood pressure does have serious consequences, resulting in, for example, heart failure or a brain haemorrhage. Conclusion: be careful when prescribing ice baths.