# Jacuzzi for legs?



## Fltplan (Feb 27, 2009)

Anyone have any good information on how a jacuzzi helps or hurts recovery after a hard ride or any ride for that matter? Not immediately after, but during the evening when soreness is starting to settle in. The massaging effects surely are good, especially directly on the muscles, but how about the heat of the jacuzzi itself? 

I ran a search and found that one person reccomended an ice bath instead of a jacuzzi, but since I don't have an ice bath out in my backyard ready to go all the time, I'll stick to the jacuzzi.

Thanks for the info.


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

Ice bath to constrict blood vessels to slow swelling, then as your legs "thaw," it will allow blood to flood in with oxygen, etc to repair. Easy to do -- buy a bag of ice at the store and dump it into a tub running cold water.

In reality, it's mostly mental.


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## Guest (Oct 19, 2009)

I don't know about a jacuzzi but what I would normally being doing in there wouldn't help my recovery much.

A cold water hose isn't a bad substitute for icing down your legs. I've seen them do it for race horses and I figure they're worth more than me.


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## Andrea138 (Mar 10, 2008)

The ice bath might actually help. Just run cold water in the bathtub then empty your freezer's ice holder into it. 

The jacuzzi won't hurt anything, though, like Nitro said... it's probably more mental than anything else.





P.S. Every time I read "Iliveonnitro," I think of this guy:


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## MarshallH1987 (Jun 17, 2009)

if you use a hot tub after a ride make sure you drink tons of water to make up for what you lose to sweat. As far as ice baths go they apparently do a lot of good, but from the studies i've read there wasn't a whole lot of difference between sitting in ice water and sitting in a tub of cold water from your tap.


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

Stick your bare foot in the terlet, and give it a few flushes.


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## speedyg55 (Jun 11, 2009)

An ice bath is the way to go for recovery purposes as it helps reduce swelling. The opposite can be said for a hot tub. Cold water from the tap will do the trick, no ice necessary.


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## kmunny19 (Aug 13, 2008)

Andrea138 said:


> The ice bath might actually help. Just run cold water in the bathtub then empty your freezer's ice holder into it.
> 
> The jacuzzi won't hurt anything, though, like Nitro said... it's probably more mental than anything else.
> 
> ...


is that really the only time you think of Nitro? I feel he's still so topical that I reference him daily.

as for me, I find that cool/cold works better for me for recovery the day of riding, and not just legs but core temp sort of stuff too, although cooling the legs will cool the rest of the body quite well. then jacuzzi type stuff on rest days to loosen up.


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## paul l (Aug 3, 2009)

Although of absolutely no help to the OP I would add that one chemist described the foam on the surface water of a jacuzzi as typically containing the equivalent level of bacteria as 10 domestic toilets.

When I changed from occasional daily contact lens wear (for cycling and other sports) to full daily wear (with Hydrogen Peroxide fortnightly lenses) I had to consider my swimming and eye hygiene very carefully. The average 1 in 3 who do not shower before entering the pool, average 1 in 5 who wee in the pool and the parasites that can get into the cellular matrix of lenses and turn us blind within 24 hours sealed the deal. As in it dictated a very careful approach to swimming and I stopped using jacuzzis. If only I could afford one in my backyard as the OP said.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

As I understand it heat is better for existing injuries but not for recovery from immediate damage/exercise since the heat promotes swelling and inflammation immediately after an injury.


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## EricN (Apr 9, 2009)

icing stimulates blood flow to tendons, which by nature don't get enough to repair any damage to them. I ice my achilles' 3-4 times a week for this reason. I would imagine a bath in ice would be great for your joints and other tendons, but I am way too much of a wuss for that.

Muscles, not so much. They seem to get plenty of blood flow. Maybe someone can motivate me?


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## Fltplan (Feb 27, 2009)

paul l said:


> Although of absolutely no help to the OP I would add that one chemist described the foam on the surface water of a jacuzzi as typically containing the equivalent level of bacteria as 10 domestic toilets.
> 
> When I changed from occasional daily contact lens wear (for cycling and other sports) to full daily wear (with Hydrogen Peroxide fortnightly lenses) I had to consider my swimming and eye hygiene very carefully. The average 1 in 3 who do not shower before entering the pool, average 1 in 5 who wee in the pool and the parasites that can get into the cellular matrix of lenses and turn us blind within 24 hours sealed the deal. As in it dictated a very careful approach to swimming and I stopped using jacuzzis. If only I could afford one in my backyard as the OP said.



That's pretty eye opening (no pun intended). My jacuzzi is only used by me so no worries there and I dont' wear contacts, whew!


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## paul l (Aug 3, 2009)

I can only hope it's not true but it certainly makes you think, in the absence of evidence either way


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