TRIAX 180 #2: Ice vs No Ice for Recovery

The use of ice in sport is almost as popular as putting it in your drink. But does ice actually help our recovery or is it all one big placebo effect that isn’t working for us anymore?

Commonly when you've suffered an acute injury, you're told to ice it or put some ice on it. Similarly, for exercise recovery, athletes are routinely seen down at the local beach, swimming pool or in the ice bath as a form of recovery.

But does ice actually work? Does it help athletes recover from training or competition?

Well, currently there is no consensus evidence within sport science research that suggests ice provides a positive impact upon recovery. The current literature is inconclusive and lacking in terms of objective findings on the efficacy surrounding the use of ice. Subjectively, within the literature we know that ice may reduced the perception of pain in athletes and may also reduce levels of inflammation.

However, we also know that the use of ice could delay the muscle healing and regeneration through the reduction in inflammation. So do we use ice directly after our exercise session or are we just prolonging the recovery period?

In the second episode of TRIAX180 the TRIAX team debate the effectiveness and use of ice in recovery. In the words of vanilla ice, we’re talking about ice ice baby.