::bum bum bum ba da dum dum::
::bum bum bum ba da dum dum::
::Ice, ice baby, too cold, too cold::
Ok, enough of reliving my days as a Vanilla Ice lovin' 6 year old.
But ice has been the name of the game lately as I prepare for the Kalamazoo Marathon, which will take place in a mere 12 days. Eeek!
I've been having some major shin splint problems lately, so as I keep up with tapering this week and next, I'm paying special attention to my problems using ice and foam.
Sorry in advance about my fug foot. Marathon training will do that to your dogs.
Ice + Foam Rolling = Cold, Hard Pain (but it works).
Confession: I'm not good at keeping up with either, though. I should be icing immediately after runs. I should be foam rolling more than once a week. But I'm bad at keeping up these routines, which is surprising given my total Type-A-Ness.
So I'm forcing the effort in these next few weeks.
If I were really rough and tumble, I'd go in for the full-on ice bath, but that's terrifying. I'm just not that B.A.
Here are a few icing tips to hosting your own icing party (woop!) and aiding your muscles and joints in recovery.
Disclaimer: I'm not a physician, sports doctor, or trainer. The following tips are the result of my own experiences and injuries in my short-lived, average career as a runner and high school soccer superstar average midfielder.
Three Tips for Vanilla Icing at Home
1. Ice after exercise, not before. Icing an injury or generally sore area will reduce pain and swelling and will help heal the area more quickly.
2. Avoid leaving ice on for too long or removing it too soon. Fill up a Ziploc with ice or ice and water, and let it sit on the area 15-20 minutes. I use a thin towel as a buffer rather than let the bag sit directly on my skin; if you do put the ice directly on your skin, move it around a bit to keep the area from getting too cold too quickly.
3. Keep up with an icing routine. I always take my own advice. I need to get back into my high school habit of icing after all/most practices and games. Icing works better if it's done at least daily. If you're going to ice down multiple times in a day, allow at least an hour in between sessions.
And just in case you want to learn or refresh foam rolling basics, you can go to this post.
Since it's in my head now, and I want you to suffer as much as I am, here you go:
You know you wanna bust out some dance moves.
Happy Wednesday, ya'll!
Tell Me: What's your position on ice baths? Ever taken the plunge? (pun intended, hee hee)