What does icing your legs do?


Question:
I do alot of athletics and sometimes we have to ice our legs afterwards. What does this actually achieve? I know it's supposed to stop swelling but does it do anything else?

Answers:
Exercise requires energy, which your muscles use and leaving a by-product of lactic acid, which leaves or creates a cramping/sore feeling afterwards. Icing causes constriction of the muscles, squeezing out the lactic acid into the main bloodstream, for them to be flowed back to the liver to be broken down to be removed from the body. End result? Less soreness and cramping.

Oh ya, also not to forget, if rigorous sports, tiny tears may occur in muscles (that leads to muscle hypertrophies) so they might be painful and slightly swollen after. Icing helps to bring the swelling and pain down too. =)
Tends to cool them down
reduces inflammation
I practically have no idea.

Though, when i was young i was very active in athletics and tennis. We didn't do it.
maybe it is to stop the joints to sprain, or the muscles to tear.
It serculates your blood and slows down how fast it travels after your exersize and prevents blood traveling to fast that can cause blood clots which can travel to the heart.

If it was iceing suger you where talking about then your legs would be worth licking as thay would be sweet. lol
Hope this answerd your question.
From James.
Oh, I thought you meant icing, as in frosting, like frosting a cake.

And I was going to say it might get you some licks, and leave you rather sticky.
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