Are there any benefits to sitting in a sauna after workout?

[ThePenguin]

My girlfriend just went for an 8 mile run and was thinking of going to the gym for the sauna. Are there any benefits to her body for doing this?

( Note: She will hydrate first)

[Yeti]

Yeah. It feels good.

[administrator]

pic?

[Blarg]

Well, they say sweating does help get rid of some toxins. How much, and how much it really helps anything, I have no idea.

[skunkworks]

Bad idea. She's better off soaking in ice water to reduce inflammation, aid muscle recovery, and decrease the effect of DOMS. Even though the whirlpool/jacuzzi/steam/sauna thing feels better, it's not.

I've never really believed in the sweating out toxins thing, but I do think that steam rooms are good for opening up your pores if you've got acne (or want a really close shave afterward).

[ThePenguin]

Thanks Skunk. By the way, what is DOMS?

[thirddan]

i used to get nauseas doing the sauna after working out if i dont take a break in between...be careful that she drinks water or she will probably become lightheaded and whatnot...

[skunkworks]

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. It's the soreness you get from exercise that occurs 24-48 hours afterwards.

Going too far into detail, the soreness is caused by microscopic tears in your muscle fibers. Eccentric muscle contractions seem to cause most of the damage, so in your gf's case, running downhill will cause more soreness.

More on DOMS

[aggie]

[Tron]

skunk,

You seem knowledgeable on the general subject, so I was wondering if you could help me with this question: What is the best treament for minor stretches? For example, sometimes after I play racquetball I feel as if I may have slightly stretched some muscles in my right shoulder. What's the best play in this situation? Heat or ice?

Thanks,
Tron