If you’re a Canadian hot tub owner, you’ve probably experienced the refreshing thrill of jumping into the snow after a long winter soak. You may also have fond memories of running back between the pool and the hot tub on a cool spring or fall evening.
What you may not know is that this practice mimics many of the key characteristics of contrast hydrotherapy. In its most formal application, contrast hydrotherapy involves alternating between immersion in hot and cold water. It’s a practice with growing popularity among athletes and health enthusiasts for its many reported benefits. Whether you go all-in and get yourself a cold-immersion tub to complement your hot tub, or just keep jumping into the snow, you should be able to get many of the same benefits backed up by science.
How it works...
According to healthline.com, contrast therapy produces rapid changes in your circulatory system when you switch from warm to cold. These changes cause your blood vessels to expand and contract. This creates a pump-like motion through your system that some experts believe can have many benefits.
Reduces muscle soreness
If you have been working out or playing a sport, there’s always a chance you’ll experience some degree of muscle soreness. At least one study has found that contrast water therapy can be helpful for reducing muscle soreness. This means you can get back to your top performance shape faster!
Helps with injury recovery
Painscience.com states that contrast therapies can be beneficial for rehabing repetitive strain injuries. Contrast therapy is an especially good candidate for strain injuries in the extremities. This is because alternating hot and cold allows you to stimulate the affected muscles without adding any more strain through actual motion. Common conditions that may benefit could include plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow and more.
Might decrease stress and improve mood
Of course there are also many well known benefits to doing hot and cold water therapy separately as well. It is reasonable to assume that you may be able to enjoy some of these benefits from the combined contrast hydrotherapy too! For example, Forbes sites an emerging body of anecdotal evidence that cold water therapy can be beneficial for mood and may even help with depression. Of course there are numerous benefits to hot tub hydrotherapy on its own as well!
Keep your hot tub healthy to reap all the benefits
This post shares some of the ways your hot tub can benefit your health and wellness. But it can only help if you use it! Keeping your hot tub well-maintained is one of the best ways to ensure you get ongoing enjoyment and benefits from your tub year-after-year. If you need help with cleaning, testing and maintenance, Buds can help! Book a service consultation and we’ll develop a plan to meet your needs.
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