Postgame recovery
 

This may sound stupid, but I was talking to my R last week, and he said that after each game he takes an "ice bath" to help with leg pain and to recover for the nest game. He said that this is a common practice for alot of guys. My question is does it really work, and if so what is the best way to go about it?

I used to do this when I lived at home years ago; my parents have a kick-*** hot tub. It's at least somewhat psychological, but it also felt really good.

He is the R and his legs hurt that bad? I'm an R, and we don't run near as much as the wings, or deeps. I guess if he doesn't mind doing it, he must really love it and that is great, but I'd be trying to get in better shape so I didn't hurt so much.

He is getting a little long in the tooth. He also works alot at U in the JV games. Not that we Umpires run that much either

I usually ice pack my heels and ankles for
 

20-30 min. then hit the shower and use the shower head massage on my legs. I'd kill for a hot tub!

I then drink water, beer, gatorade, whatever we have at home then eat a sandwich.

I got a hot tub a few years ago and it is awesome. It really does help your legs recover.

I had a very long youth league day Saturday (9 games), and decided to put my feet in some ice water. I lasted 3 minutes. Don't know how anybody could take an ice bath for 20.

heard about it
 

I heard about it last year from a guy who played D-I football. They had to line up after practice each day to go through an ice bath. The theory is that it releases the lactic acid from the muscle fibers which is where most muscle pain comes from.

I've done something like that for years. Though I've found it best to use what I call internal icing. The recipe isn't too complicated:

1. A frozen mug
2. Beer (preferably Miller Lite)

Poor 2 into 1, consume. Repeat.

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

When I had plantar fascitis(basically bones spurs and damage to the tendon running along the bottom of your foot) that's what my doctor prescribed. I had to stick my foot up to the ankle in ice water, put a belt around the ball of my foot, and pull back to stretch the tendons. One rep every 10 seconds for 20 minutes. The treatment hurt just as bad as the injury!

Hey Stripe - try this. Fill a plastic soda bottle with water and put it in the freezer (fill it almost to the to be leave room for the ice to expand). Then just roll your foot back and forth over it. It both ices the area and gently stretches those muscles and tendons. Then, before a game, put a soda bottle filled with water in the microwave for two minutes or so and roll your foot back and forth to stretch out the muscles and tendons - then use the iced bottle right after the game.

Thanks wisref2. I did something similar to that for my shin splints(obviously I'm a mess from the knees down. I guess thery're next.) I took a dixie cup, filled it with water and froze it. Then you just pull away the paper a little at a time and rub it up and down your shins with moderate pressure.
Still #!%^#@! hurts though. Gonna try that soda bottle thing.

In college I also used the ice baths after the hot practices especially during two-a-days. They were just large gray plastic trash cans full of ice water. After showering, you would get in as deep as you could take for as long as you could take. Most of us would go down to a certain point that I think everyone can relate to and stay in for about a minute or two. One guy would go in to mid-stomach and just sit there smiling. But then again he did later play in the NFL for about 6 years. It does make your legs feel better by getting that heat out of there.