Healing Athletes With Infrared Saunas

By Benjamin Andrews

It is no secret to athletes that infrared saunas have for years offered many desirable benefits. When used regularly, saunas are known to improve athlete endurance and tolerance levels for anaerobic exercises, as well as lead to greater physical performance in general.

Heat from infrared saunas causes an elevated heart rate, which is a low impact way to obtain a great cardiovascular work out. The American Medical Association explains that "many of us who run do so to place a demand on our cardiovascular system, not to build big leg muscles. Regular use of indoor saunas may impact a similar stress on the cardiovascular system, and its regular use may be as effective, as a means of cardiovascular conditioning and burning of calories, as regular exercise."

For athletes and those on fitness regimens, a sauna can be a supplemental method of burning calories (around 500 calories per sauna session! -Journal of American Medical Association report), a way of getting rid of fat cells and a means of boosting the metabolism. Saunas should not be used as a replacement for a traditional cardio workout, but make a great follow up to a workout as well as a way to stay fit while injuries prevent athletic mobility.

The actual amount of calories burned off in the sauna can be measured by measuring transpiration. Every gram of transpiration uses 0.586 Cal -Guyton's Textbook of Medical Physiology. The average person will sweat off half a liter during a session in an infrared sauna. That is equivalent to 1,000 grams, or over 500 calories.

The infrared sauna's deep and penetrating infrared heat relaxes tired, sore or damaged athlete muscles, which creates numerous benefits. The infrared heat will bring about better circulation by dilating the blood vessels which will in-turn assist tired and torn muscles in repairing and strengthening themselves. Additionally, the resulting decreased swelling, reduce lactic acids and loosening of muscles will lessen the pain of worn and tight muscles.

FIR sauna's provide the ideal way for an athlete to have a thorough warm-up to increase flexibility and prevent unnecessary injury. When tissues are warmed to 112 degrees Fahrenheit and then stretched, they retain roughly 0.5-0.9% of their length indefinitely. Thus 20 stretching sessions can result in a 10-18% increase in the length of tissues that are stretched in conjunction with infrared heat. (Justus Lehmann M.D., Williams and Wilkins, Therapeutic Heat and Cold.)

blooThe heat from the infrared rays is able to go deep into the joints of an ailing athlete. As the heat relaxes the muscles around the joint less strain and pressure is placed on the region. This helps overcome the issue of low d circulation that exists in the body's joints and in-turn improves their ability to repair and heal.

When it comes to more serious injuries such as sprains, athletes should follow the normal protocol of icing and compressing the area immediately after injury. Following these actions the deep penetrating infrared rays will ease the pain and speed the process of recovery.

The many benefits athletes get out of using infrared ray saunas continues to add to their popularity. No matter the intensity of your work out, we can be happy to have an infrared sauna to relax in.

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