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Contrast therapy combines the health benefits of exposing yourself to hot and cold water one after the other. The radical change in temperature creates a pumping effect on our blood vessels, getting your blood to flow more efficiently. Other effects that are caused by doing contrast therapy include reduced stress, a stronger immune system, improvements to your cardio fitness, improved focus and last but not least, it’ll lift your mood.
When exercising, lactic acid builds up in the body’s muscles, which can cause muscle soreness after strenuous exercise.
Coldwater immersion is seen to assist in alleviating exercise-induced muscle damage post-exercise. At the same time, contrast bath therapy as a whole can significantly aid with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which usually only occurs a day after training, and thus assist with the active recovery of the body.
Studies performed with endurance athletes showed that cold exposure reduced the regular inflammatory response, aided the anti-inflammatory response, and enhanced muscle recovery.
One of the strongest physiological responses to the cold is a huge increase in norepinephrine, which mediates mood, attention, and other cognitive capacities. Ice bath regulars report improved mental calmness and increased energy. In combination with heat therapy, this can have long-lasting positive effects on the nervous system.
The current evidence base suggests that the breathing techniques used during cold water immersions regulate the nervous system and can assist with gathering focus, and are highly beneficial when used again during stressful situations, to alleviate anxiety.
Regular cold training can reduce stress, help improve resilience, and rewire your brain to embrace uncomfortable situations. 57 minutes of heat combined with just 11 minutes cold per week is all you need.
Among the scientific evidence-based effects of this procedure is also an improvement of blood flow and blood pressure for people that suffer from cardiovascular disease.
The heat during the therapy can reduce muscle soreness and increase the range of motion by working toward eliminating inflammation in the joints as well as the soft tissue of the body.
Hot water temperature has been known for its relaxing effects on the body and mind. Therefore one of the key attributes of immersing yourself in hot water can be reduced sensation of pain due to less tension in the body.
Cold temperatures, however, are more related to reducing swelling and can therefore also assist in pain alleviation through reduction of swelling and thus an enhanced range of motion.
Exposing the entire body to extreme temperatures during contrast hydrotherapy is among the popular recovery interventions of elite athletes who are seeking a better recovery outcome post-exercise.
During a strenuous workout, metabolites builds up in your body, which is normal, but also the cause of your body feeling sore and fatigued. The pumping effect of your blood vessels caused by contrast bath therapy can increase the body’s ability to flush out metabolites and other toxins and even aid in muscle growth.
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Cold exposure narrows blood vessels, reducing blood flow to injuries and relieving inflammation and pain. In contrast, heat exposure gradually warms the body, expanding blood vessels, improving blood flow, and promoting muscle relaxation.
Alternating between hot and cold, in contrast, therapy creates a pumping effect, similar to a light workout, enhancing oxygen and nutrient delivery to tissues. This therapy aims to reduce swelling and inflammation, boost energy and focus, and induce relaxation and stress reduction.
Ready to take your body to the next level? Try out a contrast therapy session in Brisbane today; you won’t regret it!
We use the most up to date research to match protocols with health outcomes.
