Researchers argue that the extensive use of ice at the summer Olympics is not evidence-based and poses environmental and financial concerns.
Ice usage at summer Olympic games has reached extraordinary levels, but much of it isn’t evidence-based and has negative environmental impacts.
Cryotherapy in the form of ice treatment is widely used by athletes and teams for injury management and recovery, but ice may not always have the expected benefits and could impair recovery.
Cold water immersion is recommended for heat exhaustion relief, muscle soreness, and prevention of soreness after training, but should not be used for certain types of recovery.
Ice is commonly used for treating injuries, but there is little current evidence to support its efficacy in this context.
The sport and exercise medicine community should aim to minimize non-evidence-based practices, promote sustainability, and ensure ice availability for specific situations like acute pain relief and recovery management.
International researchers have expressed concerns regarding the excessive use of ice at the summer Olympic games, stating that much of this practice is not evidence-based. The amount of energy and water required to produce, store, and transport the ice is not environmentally friendly, in addition to being costly. The editorialists question the actual amount of ice used versus wasted at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games and express alarm at the estimates for Paris 2023, which suggest a significant increase in ice usage.
Although ice therapy such as cryotherapy is commonly used by athletes for injury management and recovery, there are concerns about its effectiveness. Studies suggest that cold water immersion may have negative effects on long-term muscle strength adaptations and could impair performance after exercise. While ice is recommended for certain situations like acute pain relief and heat exhaustion, the editorialists emphasize the need for more data on ice consumption at major sporting events and advocate for promoting sustainability and evidence-based practices in the use of ice at future events.
