One thing is certain when it comes to fitness: hyped-up trends may come and go, but science still rules. At a time when cold plunging seems to be part of every post-workout routine, what -- if any -- are the real benefits behind this latest fitness craze?
DISC’s William Workman, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, triathlete and former team physician for the Oakland A’s, helped break it down for GQ Magazine: “There are some benefits, but not necessarily in the way that people are led to believe," he said, noting that – in fact – cold plunging actually blunts muscle growth. “As people that are experienced doing resistance training know, it's not really the workout where the gains are made — it's in the recovery phase,” he said. “You need the blood flowing in there to wash out the damaged tissue and to bring oxygen in, and cold literally blunts that."
Commenting on studies in which cold plunge participants reported instantly feeling less muscle soreness and fatigue, albeit temporary, Dr. Workman said, “There's a numbing, anesthetic effect of the cold, which can help, but it also has a constrictive effect, which is not helpful for recovery.”
The real benefits, according to research, are more psychological than physical, with early evidence highlighting cold plunging as a tool to fight stress, anxiety and depression.
Read the full GQ article HERE.
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Workman HERE.