Ditch the Ice | Why Active Recovery is Recommended for Baseball Players
If you’re a baseball player who grabs the ice post-practice or game, it’s time to rethink your strategies. Throwing on a pack of ice has lost its popularity. Research shows that icing is not what it was once thought to be in sports medicine.
For years, the go-to treatment method for most ailments was ice. If someone rolled their ankle, ice was the answer. If an athlete threw 100 pitches in a game, their shoulder and elbow would be met with a bag of ice. The problem with these situations is that the goal was to proactively address recovery, yet by using ice they slowed down their recovery. The reality is that this situation is not happening nearly as much as it used to. In fact, you’re in the extreme minority nowadays in professional baseball if you’re still icing. Way more athletes are ditching the ice and taking a more effective approach to recovery.
Why is Icing Counterproductive for Recovery?
For years, the go-to recovery tactic was to throw on an ice pack. Research has since proven that ice does not promote recovery, but instead actually slows the body’s natural repair process. The problem with ice is that it delays inflammation and can cause lymphatic vessels to drain backwards, causing fluid to accumulate. While some people think of inflammation as being harmful, the truth is that inflammation is the first stage of recovery. Our bodies need to send supplies to damaged tissue so it can be repaired. If you delay inflammation, you delay recovery.
Where many people get confused is with thinking that inflammation and swelling are the same thing. Inflammation is simply the process of sending necessary supplies to the damaged areas. Swelling is what happens when there are supplies being brought to an area, but the body can’t flush out the garbage at the same rate so it accumulates and can cause pain or tenderness. The goal should be to allow inflammation to take place, but also allow the lymphatic system to pump out the waste. This is why active recovery is important.
Active Recovery is the Ideal Method
Active recovery comes out on top as the most effective way to recover. Where ice slows the body’s healing processes down, active recovery speeds them up. Active recovery refers to low stress muscle activation. The goal is not to go back into workout mode, but to provide light movement to enhance recovery. Muscle activation sets off a whole series of events that enhance the recovery process.
Why Baseball Players use Marc Pro
The baseball season and year-round training leaves little room for downtime. Players need to figure out a way to keep their bodies healthy and stay in the game. Ditching the ice and using active recovery techniques is a start, but many players, teams, and trainers, take it a step further with Marc Pro.
Marc Pro provides active recovery in a portable, convenient tool. Instead of having to go out and continue to use your muscles for active recovery, you can sit back and relax while your body recovers. The one thing that really sets Marc Pro apart from other tools is it’s unique technology that doesn’t put any stress on the body. You can recover for as long as you need, wherever it’s convenient for you. That’s why Marc Pro is such a valuable tool for pro, college and travel ball players alike.
Marc Pro fits in easily with baseball players’ schedules. It’s something that creates active recovery without a whole lot of effort. Athletes can use it at home or during team travel. For those who are mindful of stepping away from ice, Marc Pro opens a whole new world of recovery.