• Magic Bob
      • Ice baths - good, bad, or it depends? 3/20/2017 7:15PM
      • Magic Bob
      • Any thoughts / personal experiences?

        I know some elites use them, but I also hear that they can reduce improvements too (possible benefits of inflammation, etc). My impression (feel free to correct) is that they were traditionally recommended for distance runners, but that there is a bit of a backlash now.

        Thinking more in terms of general training use rather than acute injury treatment.
    • cammmmmm
      • RE: Ice baths - good, bad, or it depends? 3/20/2017 7:26PM - in reply to Magic Bob
      • cammmmmm
      • Personally in the 2-3 weeks that matter the most in the year (outdoor championship season) I have an epson bath followed by an ice bath after every single run and spot treatment with ice if I have a injury. I personally find it helps alot. I wouldn't really recommend that for 52 weeks out of the year though
    • Ice, ice, baby......
      • RE: Ice baths - good, bad, or it depends? 3/20/2017 9:44PM - in reply to Magic Bob
      • Ice, ice, baby......
      • Magic Bob wrote:
        Any thoughts / personal experiences?

        I know some elites use them, but I also hear that they can reduce improvements too (possible benefits of inflammation, etc). My impression (feel free to correct) is that they were traditionally recommended for distance runners, but that there is a bit of a backlash now.

        Thinking more in terms of general training use rather than acute injury treatment.
        During my competitive years in high school and college I never took ice baths. However, when I got older and started to train for marathons (in my 30s) I started taking ice baths after runs longer than 2 hours (~ 17 miles for me). I've been doing this now for 10+ years during marathon build-ups and I think it does speed up recovery. I don't know the science behind ice baths but my impression is that it helps with the inflammation / wear and tear from all the jarring your legs take during a 2+ hour run.

        Typically, I try and get in the ice bath within 1 hour of finishing a long run and I stay in the bath for 15 minutes. I still do spot icing for any injuries as needed.

        On the rare occasion that I have to skip an ice bath I definitely notice a difference in the way my legs feel 1-2 days post long run. After an ice bath my legs feel great and fresh. Without the bath I am usually stiff and sore for a day or two.