Both professional and “weekend” athletes can use their hot tubs to aid in repairing sore muscles and injuries. Neck and back pain, sports injuries, muscle pulls, spasms and soreness are often eased simply by a quick dip in your hot tub.
Your hot tub can also be used as preventive medicine. According to an article in Tennis Magazine, “When you immerse yourself in the hot water of a whirlpool, the temperature of your skin and muscles rise, causing blood vessels to dilate and thus increasing blood flow to the skin and muscles. Turn on the jets and the pulsating water massages the skin, increasing blood flow even more. The result? Your skin and muscles loosen and relax from the increased blood circulation.”
You can improve your athletic performance by using your hot tub both before and after you exercise:
Before You Exercise. Soaking in a hot tub before exercising relaxes your body and loosens muscles, making exercise easier and reducing the risk of injury. A pre-exercise soak will also help improve performance. In fact, some golfers swear it has actually taken a couple of strokes off their game.
After You Exercise: Soaking in a hot tub after exercising is a great way to wind down and relax your muscles. The hot, swirling water embraces you… massaging your neck, shoulders, arms, back, thighs, calves, and feet. But most importantly, hot tub use after you exercise will greatly reduce or even eliminate the stiffness typically felt the next day.
Note: If you have a sports injury, consult with your physician before using a hot tub. It is often necessary to treat swollen areas with cold first. You doctor will likely advise you to avoid hot water until swelling of an injury has subsided. When the swelling is gone, the massaging action of a hot tub will generally help speed the healing process.
