Popular but Unverified: Ice Therapy
From ice baths to cold-water swimming, ice treatment has been hailed for alleged benefits including relief from menopause symptoms, arthritis, headaches, and immunological diseases. Ice is a common item used by sportsmen for post-exercises rehabilitation. Researchers currently contend, however, that ice therapy's clinical advantages lack empirical support and that its extensive usage is unsustainable for the environment.
Researchers from France, Qatar, India, and Switzerland have expressed worries regarding the too high demand for ice as the Paris Olympics get near. In an editorial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, they underlined how, in spite of its dubious effectiveness, the usage of ice at the Summer Olympic Games has reached "extraordinary levels." Ice's manufacture, storage, and transportation all use a lot of water and energy, which stresses the environment.
Evaluating Olympic Ice Use: Comparison
For the Olympic Village as well as for medical uses, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics need for roughly 22 tonnes of ice. But the first projection for the Paris Olympics in 2024 was shockingly 1,624 tonnes of ice, costing €2.5 million. The forecast was changed to 650 tonnes—450 tonnes for the Olympics and 200 tonnes for the Paralympics since there were not enough independent sellers to meet this demand.
Growing Use of Cold-Water Immersion
Recent Olympic cold-water immersion has been increasingly common. It made around 10% of physiotherapy treatments at the Athens 2004 and London 2012 Games, then increased to 44% by the Rio 2016 Games. With a lower proportion used for injury treatment, most of these immersions were for recuperation.
The Value and Environmental Impact of Ice Therapy
Cold-water immersion is not appropriate for long-term recovery following resistance exercise or for recovery between successive high-intensity training sessions, even while it is efficient for treating heat exhaustion and muscular pain following exercise in hot conditions. The researchers advised reducing non-evidence-based methods to support sustainability since the excessive usage of ice at the Summer Olympics stresses local and regional resources. Ice should be saved for particular purposes include controlling exertional heatstroke, acute pain alleviation, and particular recuperation requirements.
Professional Opinions on Ice Treatment
Sports and musculoskeletal physiotherapist Paulina Kloskowska of King's College London notes that high-level sports can challenge the limits of evidence to reach marginal improvements in performance and recuperation. She does, however, agree that worries about the abuse of ice have good reason. While regular use of ice can lower tissue resilience and the capacity to properly adapt healthily to stresses, emerging research points indicate that heat therapy may be preferable for long-term muscle recovery.
Olympic Future Directions for Ice Use
The medical and scientific director of the International Olympic Committee, Dr. Richard Budgett, underlined the significance of using ice sensibly and logically at the Games. He discussed other, much less energy-consuming cooling techniques like filtered water chilled to 10°C. In line with best medical practices, the IOC intends to keep tracking ice consumption and implementing sensible evidence to further lower its level at next Games.
0 Comments