Recently Andro posted a thread on Heat shock proteins and the possible efficacy of taking hot emersive baths to activate them. BUt what about the opposite? Athletes are constantly told to ice themselves, to immerse themselves in a tub of hot ice if possible. But now we know that things like Heat shock proteins are actually elivated by inflamation. Is icing really efficacious for the bodybuilder?
http://www.springerlink.com/content/f810p6kr7867t26p/
Yamane et al. (2006) have recently demonstrated that the administration of cold water immersion following exercise sessions during a 4 to
6 week training programme signicantly attenuated training-
induced adaptations. These included reduced isometric
strength and brachial artery diameter following upper-body
training, as well as a tendency to actually decrease muscle size! (Yamane et al. 2006).
I think the thing to take home is that scientists are beginning to question the common methods typically used by athletes to speed recovery. Perhaps by hampering the inflamatory response you also hamper the adaptive response?