Portable infrared saunas are quickly inundating weight rooms and gyms nationwide. Athletes are using them as a key part of their warm ups, workout follow ups, and as a method to speed injury recovery.
For athletes who want a thorough pre-workout warm-up to increase flexibility and prevent injury, a FIR sauna is the ideal "heat therapy room." Fifteen minutes in a portable sauna just before performing is a great way to get that physical edge that every athletes wants, as well as to better prevent injury.
Tissues heated to 112 degrees Fahrenheit (45 Celsius) and then stretched exhibit a non-elastic residual elongation of about 0.5-.9% that persists after the stretch is removed. Thus 20 stretching sessions can produce a 10-18% increase in the length of tissues that are stretched in conjunction with infrared heat. (Justus F Lehmann M.D., Williams and Wilkins, Therapeutic Heat and Cold, 4th edition.)
A portable 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.
Athletes with serious injuries such as sprains should follow the normal process of cold/compression after immediate injury. After the normal treatments have been administered the deep penetrating infrared heat will speed and ease the pain of recovery.
Infrared heat also works in to the ailing joints of an athlete. By relaxing the muscles around the joints, less pressure and strain is put on the area. The joints are notoriously problematic for lacking circulation. The increased circulation coupled with the relaxed surrounding muscles improves the ability of blood flow in to joints which will greatly enhance the speed of healing and repair.
Many athletes suffer set-backs to their workout schedules because of time constraints or injury. Regularly using an infrared ray sauna is a highly effective method of staying in shape. Infrared heat from the sauna elevates the heart rate, which offers a low impact (for the injured) and quick (for the busy) cardiovascular workout. The AMA put it this way, "many of us who run do so to place a demand on our cardiovascular system.... 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."
A great way to supplement an athletes fitness regime is to incorporate the calorie burning power of an infrared ray sauna. The Journal of American Medical Association reported that the average FIR sauna session burns around 500 calories. Regular sauna sessions boost the metabolism, eliminate fat cells, and burn lots of calories. Even though infrared sauna sessions are powerful and efficient calorie burners, do not consider them the absolute equivalent to a traditional cardiovascular work-out. Sauna sessions are great for warming up before, and relaxing after a workout, as well as keeping fit while injured and unable to be very mobile.
The improved physical performance, post-workout conditioning and enhanced injury recovery that athletes are getting from regular infrared sauna use explains why they are popular among athletes. Locker rooms everywhere will likely only see an increase in portable infrared ray sauna usage.
In order to find out even more information about the ways many athletes everywhere are benefiting from infrared saunas, visit HEALTHandMED.com
