Burnley footballer Graham Alexander swears by them. Not many Premier League players at 37 years of age, or even 10 years younger, have managed to stay so injury free. Alexander played in every one of Burnley’s 61 league and cup games last season (2008/09). After every match and training session he used an ice bath and he claims that this habit helped him to avoid injury and play a full part in Burnley’s promotion to the Premiership.
Ice baths have become a popular recovery method. After a gruelling training session or match, sports performers such as professional footballers get into an ice bath for 5–10 minutes. The cold water causes the blood vessels to tighten and drains the blood away from the legs. On leaving the bath the legs fill up with new blood, which invigorates the muscles with oxygen to help the cells function better. The blood that leaves the legs takes away with it the lactic acid that has built up during the activity. By flushing the lactic acid from the muscles, soreness can be reduced for the week ahead. Despite the unpleasantness of an ice bath, the benefits can be felt immediately, especially in the legs.
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