running vs icing

[coachjoey2009]

I have posted and asked questions here before. So here goes again. I just had a discussion with a softball dad last night about running vs icing. His daughter had just finished a workout and I mentioned icing down her arm. The dad said he does not believe in icing but rather running to relieve the lactos acids from the body. He runds his older son that way as well. I explained the benefits of icing and told him I would research the issue.

Any opinions?

 

[Sparky Guy]

All you have to do is look at the TV footage of a pro locker room after a game in most any sport and you'll see tons of ice taped to the players. These are some of the best trainers in the business taking care of some of the highest priced bodies in the country. I would think they know what they are doing. The other thing is they ALL do it, not just a few of them.

When softball dad's daughter's arm is falling off when she's in her late teens it'll be too late. Remember, it's just his opinion, it's not a proven course of post workout treatment.

 

[sluggers]

If icing is so beneficial, then why do many professional pitchers hurt their arms each year?

There is no scientific evidence showing the benefits of icing the arm. If your DD's arm hurts after pitching, then icing will reduce the pain. If your DD's arm hurts after pitching, then perhaps you should spend some time determining "why".

If your DD's arm doesn't hurt after pitching, then you shouldn't ice.

 

[fastpitch]

I can't remember where I heard this so take this for what its worth. I heard an interview from an MLB relief pitcher who said to be able to be ready day in and out he would need to run after every game to prevent soreness. I also heard the same thing about some college baseball teams. They would have to run after every game to prevent soreness.

 

[Coachmom]

I also disagree with the "benefits" of icing. Everything I've read about ice is anecdotal and/or for reducing the swelling after an injury.
While there seems to be not much harm in it, there are no real benefits.

Ice-water immersion and delayed-onset muscle soreness: a randomised controlled trial -- Sellwood et al. 41 (6): 392 -- British Journal of Sports Medicine

 

[fastpitch91]

we probably need to hear from a sports doc or trainer but ice and reducing lactic acid are two different things. Lactic acid build ups in muscles after period of intense activity at the anerobic limit of the athletes performance. This is typical in swimmers swimming longer events at very high intensities in competition. In practice they swim just under the intensity level where lactic acid build up occurs. Post event ( you will see this at t he Olympics) swimmers will immediately go for a cool down swim to allow "reoxegenation" and avoid lactic acid build up and muscle soreness. I do not know the exact physiology but it is well documented with medical studies in the swim training world.

Ice is not about lactic acid, but reducing swelling. I have no scientific reports on ice but it has been recommeded by all the certified athletic trainers and sports docs my daughter ever went to. Good or bad ice is differnt then low level cool downs.

I do have ptichers cool down with 5 minutes of easy throws afer practice, just easy toss overhand.

i do sugges tthey ice after practice, not as a remedy for pain but as a preventative. maybe an old coaches tale but on the other hand doesn't do any harm....

 

[jay]

from my old baseball days, we'd do both as well. icing was to prevent swelling from tearing muscle fiber and running was to disperse lactic acid build-up. from my intermediate level of knowledge, they are apples and oranges.

let me muddy the water even more; what about applying heat to a pitchers arm? i did this once and it was extremely effective when i had to come back on 1 day rest...my arm felt brand new but i wasn't the same after that start for the rest of the season.

 

[Lozza]

I use Deep Heat for when I have injury, but it's only if it's really bad. I find chucking a jacket on much more effective. (even if it's 40 degree heat like it was today!)

 

[CoachFP]

I read an article that said icing did nothing to help micro tearing of the muscles. It does help with bruising and blunt injuries which pitching a softball does not cause. Putting a jacket on after the game would be my advice.

 

[Screwball]

Not many softball pitchers ice their arms. I never did.

Usually more sore in the legs, but more fatigue than stiffness. The motion is not at all comparable to baseball.