4 Ways To Use Cold Therapy At Home To Boost Recovery

Cold therapy is a popular way to support recovery that’s used by elite athletes the world over.

Some of the potential benefits include reduced muscle pain, reduced inflammation and boosts to the immune system.

While modern science has brought in sophisticated new technology such as cryotherapy chambers, not everyone has access to such innovations. And, unfortunately, we can’t all jump straight into the sea or a lake from our front door.

But there are some simple ways you can do cold therapy at home and still get some of the benefits to assist your recovery routine.

Cold Showers

Possibly the most straightforward way any of us can create a cold therapy habit is to start doing cold showers. Anyone who knows about the Wim Hoff Method will be well aware of the popularity of this technique.

When you have your post-session shower, turn the tap to cold for part of it. Start small, by doing even 10 or 20 seconds at a time, and then slowly build up so your body and mind gets used to the cold.

Ice Baths

This technique goes back decades. Athletes have been submerging themselves into ice baths with the hope of easing the burden on their muscles for a long time.

If you don’t want to add actual ice, you can just try a bath full of cold water to get a slightly reduced shock when you enter the tub.

Try to stay in for around 10-15 minutes.

Put Your Face In Cold Water

While this method might not reduce muscle tension in your limbs, it’s an easier way to get some of the other benefits of cold therapy.

There’s some evidence that putting cold water on the skin around your face can stimulate the vagal nerve to reduce your stress levels. This might also mean that you get some of the cold-shock immune responses that you get from more severe cold exposure.

Make Your Own Plunge Tank

If you want to commit a little more, you can create your own plunge tank. You can either buy a specially made outdoor bathtub or simply make use of something like a disused barrel or container.

Fill your vessel of choice with cold water - or ice if you desire - throw yourself in and feel the benefits.