Contrast therapy has long been known for its recovery benefits—experts weigh in on the science.
Contrast therapy, also known as contrast bath therapy, is the act of immersing part of the body (or sometimes the whole body) in hot water, and immediately following this with cold water immersion.
Ice baths and sauna therapy are increasingly popular, but the concept of contrast therapy isn’t new. Contrast therapy has long been used as a recovery tactic for athletes, and there’s a why reason infrared saunas, cryotherapy chambers, and cold plunge parties are everywhere these days: People are seeing benefits far beyond treating achy muscles.
The Benefits of Heat therapy and Cold Therapy
Taken on their own, heat therapy and cold therapy come with plenty of health benefits. “Heat helps with circulation and to relax muscles,” explains Angelica Lopez, Complex Manager for The Spa at Equinox Studio City, adding that cold is used to reduce swelling, and inflammation and decrease pain by blocking nerve impulses.
Done together, heat and cold therapy create something called the “Vaso Effect,” according to Lopez. “The heat creates vasodilation, and the cold creates vasoconstriction. Think of it like a pump Increasing skin temperature by using heat and cooling immediately induces a deep shock in the tissue.”
This is called “thermal shock,” and it accelerates the metabolism, making it work three times faster leading to an increase in blood circulation, tissue oxygenation, nutrient absorption, and toxin removal. “These treatments can be applied bi-weekly and should be accompanied by compression therapy or lymphatic massage,” Lopez notes.
According to Lopez, contrast therapy can benefit just about everyone. “Contrast therapy can benefit your recreational pickleball player who is experiencing a lot of shoulder pain after they played for two hours the day before or your serious runner who is wrecked after running a marathon one weekend and has another marathon coming up,” she says.
Could Contrast Therapy Help You Live Longer?
While there’s no science to back up the idea that contrast therapy will increase your lifespan, your health span is a different story—mainly because contrast therapy can do quite a bit when it comes to lowering levels of inflammation in the body.
“Age is characterized by a degree of chronic inflammation the root of which is likely multifactorial and is not well identified,” explains Eric Barna, MD, an assistant professor of internal medicine at Mount Sinai. “While there have been no large-scale studies looking specifically at the impact of contrast bath therapy on general age-related inflammation, there have been some smaller studies looking at specific areas of inflammation such as the foot, for example.”
Dr. Barna says that studies suggest that while there is a response to contrast bath therapy—by evidence of increased blood flow—the response in older participants isn’t quite as robust when compared with younger groups. However, one small study found that contrast therapy led to a significant reduction in knee pain in the elderly.
“Contrast therapy produces rapid hot/cold exchanges, which reduces muscle stimulation and relaxes muscles,” Lopez says. “It is great for inflammation as it slows down cellular metabolism which reduces the production and release of chemical inflammatory mediators.” In other words, she says, it can provide immediate relief of pain and inflammation.
And as Lopez eluded to, contrast therapy won’t just ease age-related aches and pains. It can help you look younger, too, even if that isn’t your goal. “I worked on a client's quadricep the other day and the first thing they said was ‘wow, my leg looks so much firmer,’” Lopez says. “The one thing I would say is that to receive a real result, it’s a lot like working out—one session doesn't get you there. You have to invest in a series.”
Dr. Barna does note that if you’re older and thinking about using contrast therapy to help with pain and stiffness, it’s important to talk to your doctor first to discuss potential risks.
Equinox offers an array of contrast therapy options including hot and cold plunge, cryotherapy, and sauna. Contact your local Club to inquire about specific offerings.