Both heat and cold therapies are beneficial for recovery, but each has a different effect on your body. Heat increases blood circulation to muscles and helps relieve stiffness. While cold causes the narrowing of blood vessels which reduces inflammation, relieves pain, prevents muscle swelling and spasms.
After a long run or a hard workout, an ice bath is your best source of relief. Ice cold water reduces swelling and prevents tissue breakdown. Simply fill a bathtub with cold water and get in - the lower part of your body should be submerged in the water. For a better effect you can add a bag of ice into the bathtub. Stay in the bath for no longer than 10 minutes.
Cold water also helps if you feel low on energy. Cold shower in the morning sounds horrifying, however, it is a solid method to boost energy, wake up before a workout and get pumped for the day.
The fastest and easiest way to recover after a hard workout is to soak in a hot tub or take a long warm shower. But don’t go straight into a hot water right after finishing a workout, make sure to cool down beforehand. Try to limit hot showers or baths to two times per week with 15 minutes each time.
Sauna is another popular recovery technique for runners. It is a ‘good stress’ for the body that helps maintain faster recovery and boost performance. Sauna helps eliminate lactic acid that your body produced while working out, speeds up blood circulation and makes muscles feel rejuvenated. Make sure to consult with your doctor before including sauna into your recovery routine. There are some contraindications to sauna that include cardiovascular conditions, pregnancy, chronic conditions, metal implants, etc. If you don’t have any limitations, try to visit sauna once a week.
You can combine both heat and cold therapies and take a contrast shower to ease the effects of the previous workout and prepare yourself for the next one. Start with a warm shower for 2-3 minutes, then slowly turn down the water from hot to cold. Take a cold shower for 1 minute. Repeat this cycle for 5 to 10 minutes. Ending of the contrast shower is important – end it with cold water in the beginning of the day to boost energy and with hot water in the end of the day to relax before sleep.