[Lifestyle] How to use the cold to recover after working out

[Mr.Hacker]

 

At some point in our lives, almost all of us have been able to have some therapeutic experience with the cold. We put on a cold compress when we have suffered a blow or we put our hand in the cold water if we have burned ourselves with oil. The cold seems to have restorative properties that we should take into account.

A few years ago, it was striking to see how Pau Gasol put ice packs around his knees after a game. But now it is common to see LeBron James or Cristiano Ronaldo routinely get into an ice tub after an intense workout, and share it on their social networks, which helps spread the word about the benefits they can have for health and physical recovery. One of the most famous people for his ice baths is the Dutchman Win Hof (called Iceman due to his ability to tolerate the cold), who has broken several Guinness records by swimming in icy waters, immersing himself in ice or running a half marathon on ice. .

His Wim Hof (or WHM) method combines cold therapy with breathing and meditation techniques, with the aim of improving ailments such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's. However, several people who practiced it drowned, which has raised doubts and suspicions about the real benefits of the method. It is always convenient to ask science about serious questions and, in this case, analyze the benefits that cold water can bring to people's health. What history tells us is that its use is very old, and that science has to be there to make that use beneficial.

Cryotherapy (from the Greek κρύο(ς)/kryo(s), cold and θεραπεία, cure) encompasses both immersion in cold water and the use of ice or cold air to cure or recover. A very recent historical review reveals how it has been used throughout history for therapeutic purposes to eliminate heat, reduce body temperature and reduce muscle inflammation, as well as to modify blood flow. And, in addition, it is a powerful reducer of the perception of pain, an analgesic that promotes a healthy sensation of well-being.

The great physician Hippocrates already suggested cold water therapy in Ancient Greece to relieve exhaustion of strength and energy, as well as the use of ice or snow to reduce edema, being a pioneer of cryotherapy with his treatises entitled About air, water and places. From there, throughout history, interest in the physiological effects of cold water on body temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure and the nervous system grew. In fact, icing was a method employed by Napoleon's surgeon, who used ice or snow to help reduce pain in amputee soldiers or during operations.

https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/enformate/2023-04-07/como-usar-el-frio-para-recuperarnos-despues-de-hacer-ejercicio.html