i was involved in a study for phd students in trinity last year on ice baths and as far as i know the lactic acid build up remained the same whether you took a long ice bath, short cold/hot ones, a warm bath or no bath. the results stayed relatively similar.

however i think alot of people agree that they do seem to clear up dead legs and the likes a bit quicker. could be a mental thing rather than scientific.

Baker the glen (None) - Posts: 371 - 02/05/2008 10:48:43    14763

Hey Baker the mention of dead legs reminds me of the one where Francie B came in to the dressing room at half time with a dead leg. It took them a while to work out whose it was!!!

JayoCluxton (Dublin) - Posts: 2688 - 02/05/2008 10:57:25    14769

just wanted to throw in my two cent on ice baths. we've started using them in the club the past two or three years. now some of the lads use them and others don't. personally i love them. after a hard training session my hammers and calf's would be stiff and tight for a day or two. after a quick dip in the ice bath it now neans i can go for a light jog the next day. now i'v no idea if its all in my head or if there is scientific methods to it but i feel that they work.
our physio tell any of the lad sjust back from injury to use them too, especially those with hamstring injuries. not to aid the recover of the injury. just to help loosen them up. course ice baths are no sub for a proper warm down and a proper stretch but i feel they help, especially after pre season training

fatchops (None) - Posts: 127 - 02/05/2008 11:33:29    14784

We used to use them after training on the scrum machine (not gaa i know) but they worked wonders for the next day, I think they work better in sport with more contact ie rugby, as there is heavier/more contact resulting in more bruises. Someone said earlier its dangerous to go above the waist; probably right but if its only for a 2 min oeriod or similar it should be ok.

Spuddy (Mayo) - Posts: 345 - 02/05/2008 11:46:01    14790

Who makes the ice?

+ the ice baths are just wheelie bins without the lid.

Clash-of-da-ash (Galway) - Posts: 927 - 02/05/2008 12:13:51    14813

Well clash of the ash you must live a very sheltered life.You should go to your local library and seek some information on the GAA. You might learn a lot about this great organisation and its games.

Real Kerry Fan (None) - Posts: 2957 - 02/05/2008 12:50:20    14861

I already know a lot about the organisation and its games having played minor for my county a few years ago.

Clash-of-da-ash (Galway) - Posts: 927 - 02/05/2008 12:54:09    14867

its placebo if you are told it will work your head will tell you it should work and for that reason alone you will have a change of feeling most likely positive so therefore it does no harm- now how credible is the gaa and their research? i have being involved in high end research for nearly 10 years and i would take any gaa evidence with a pinch of salt- this is yet another comittie in an organisation that cant draw a fixture list - think about that and the credibility of it- i could find 20 studies that say they work its all in your head

ball-boy (Mayo) - Posts: 4211 - 02/05/2008 13:06:02    14880

There was an article from a fitness guru about ice baths in GAELIC LIFE magazine if you want to have a look at this.
He is in favour of them from what I remember!

ard macha abu (Armagh) - Posts: 7 - 02/05/2008 13:12:07    14891

Some irish athletes were doing altitude training outside Melbourne, running along the mountain tops along trails using natures assets. They use the cold streams as ice baths for their legs. Ice baths were a great introduction in GAA... i just hope things dont go as bad as American football i.e. getting oxygen after a couple of runs!!

GarethOutLouth (Louth) - Posts: 103 - 02/05/2008 13:13:09    14892

Clash of the ash. 10 minutes playing for the minors does not make you an authority on GAA matters.

Real Kerry Fan (None) - Posts: 2957 - 02/05/2008 15:32:30    15006

Yeah clash-of-da-ash. And your jokes are awful.

Special K (Louth) - Posts: 114 - 02/05/2008 17:22:56    15071

I am currently doing a health sciences degree and any suggestion that icebaths don't work seems completely wrong to me. I was wondering does anyone know where the original paper is because I'm sure this is not what it says.

Inflammation is caused by some form of stress on the body eg training. Inflammatory mediators are released to help repair the body and injuries. Some of the mediators released cause stiffness, decreased function etc. It is scientifically proven that decrease in temperature such as ice reduces the efeect these mediators have by constricting blood vessels and decreasing release. Therefore ice baths are almost certain to work to reduce tiredness and stiffness in tired over-trained bodies.

However when an injury is sustained eg hamstring tear these baths are the worst thing for it. They will reduce the pain, tiredness, stifness associated with the injury but they also decrease the repair meaning the injury takes longer to heal and won't be as good as it was ie it tears again more easily.

also never put deep heat on an injury as someone above says

ball-bag (Meath) - Posts: 9 - 02/05/2008 17:23:05    15072

we used to use them a year or two back for the club..found them great..but then someone neglected to bring the ice so we are screwed.no all ireland club title for us.

serious note tho...when ya get a hamstring injury..does the hot cold method work...ice pack for 2 mins, heat pack for 2 mins and repeat that a few times?

howshecuttin (Longford) - Posts: 376 - 05/06/2008 16:50:17    28814

THEY ARE DANGEROUS

footiemad (Westmeath) - Posts: 733 - 05/06/2008 16:59:58    28827

there is no scientific evidence to support the use of ice baths in post matchcool downs. there is no evidence to support adequate time frames for use. as yet no proper use of rigorous scientific testing of them in GAA. so until there is its another reason to pay managers for coming up with the idea as to kill some time as they cant train as footballers. once again an idea taken from english rugby and applied to gaa training like tackle bags eversion poles and conditioned games. agree with kerry fan the greatest ever micko would laugh at all this training bull, remember most teams need conditioning coaches fitness and nutrition specialists now or players wont get out of bed.

charlie mulgrew summed it up a few years back when asked by a journalist why fermanagh didnt have a weights coach. he said i tell the boys to lift them and put them back down again and keep doing it until they cant do it anymore, why would i need a coach.priceless. agree with snuff look after the cahones at all times.

reddoctor (Tyrone) - Posts: 1241 - 05/06/2008 21:38:32    28911

the literature is conflicting, the most recent study done in austrailia shows them to be detremental to performance and recovery. ice is only beneficial to acute injury, after 72 hours ice reduces healing but before this is can reduce damage via inflammation. the therory in ice baths after training (assuming no injury) is that the cold causes vasoconstriction (decreased blood flow) and the heat causes sudden vasodilatation (increase bolld flow) this is thought to flush lactic acid etc from the muscle. this theory is flawed as hot and cold only effect blood flow to the skin not to deep tissues like muscles.
ice baths will comtinue to be used, numerous studies show stretching to be of no benefit what so ever but it is still done so i cant see people changing

speedy12 (Fermanagh) - Posts: 592 - 05/06/2008 22:53:10    28941

student

I assume that your tenure with the succefull college team included facing multiple matches in a 1,2 or 3 day period, such as college competiotion formats often do. For this scenario, ice-baths may well be beneficial in order to flush out lactic acid and prevent delayed aches and pains. however, i feel that throughout a usual club or county season where recovery time between games usually consists of between 3-6 days, then a well strucured cool down after training/games would suffice.

RedRum (Fermanagh) - Posts: 278 - 06/06/2008 10:25:16    29050

Yeah clash-of-da-ash. And your jokes are awful

Special K
County: Donegal
Posts: 31

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I wasnt trying to be funny. Also you sound like a child the way you go "yeah".

Clash-of-da-ash (Galway) - Posts: 927 - 06/06/2008 11:50:17    29117

This should scare ye into not using them.

link

Clash-of-da-ash (Galway) - Posts: 927 - 06/06/2008 12:03:52    29132