Hydroprocedures

Hydroprocedures are widespread in sports. Their basic device is cold and warm water. Implication of shower and body rubbing with towel is known from long time ago. Along with hygienic implication, these moves refresh and rest organism. One of devices that has general influence on organism is steam bath, which air temperature is 45-60 degrees, and humidity 75-100%. In sauna the most optimal air temperature is 70-80 degrees, and humidity 10-20%. Sauna is recommended in free days when it is not trained, and mostly 20-25 minutes, in training days top limit is 10 minutes. After sauna use rest of 45-60 minutes is recommended.

During warm treatments usage, especially the ones with basic character(baths, shower, sauna) it comes to heat increase, skin circulation is increasing, breathing and cardiac function are more often, and arterial pressure is dropping a little bit. At intensive heat activity sweating is increased, which leads to excretion of unnecessary products from organism and increases oxygen recovery processes.

By hydrotherapy appliance, related to temperature appliance, baths are shared into cold(under 25 degrees), lukewarm(25-32), warm(33-36) and hot(38+). As a recovery device, different temperature basic hydrotherapies can be widely used.

One of the most effective devices is shower usage. Basic factor of shower is temperature and mechanical excitation. Its physiological appliance to organism depends on muscle irritation power, and also from water temperature deviation degree, and same from water temperature deviation degree from indifferent temperature(34-36 degrees). There are various types of shower – rain, needle-shaped, saw, circulatory, electricity…

“Scottish shower” is very useful, it is contained from two ordinary showers, in one is hot water, and in other is cold water. During use, it is firstly entered under the hot shower(37-45 degrees) and athlete stays there for 30-40 seconds, and then goes under the cold shower(10-25 degrees) and keeps for 15-20 seconds. These changes are done 4-6 times.

Contrast baths are done in 2 pools or 2 bathtubs, temperature in one is 38-42 degrees, and in other 10-24 degrees. First 2-3 minutes in hot water, and 1-1,5 min in warm water. Change is done 7 times. Procedure is ended in cold water, and it is done every second or every day.

Pearl bath is done in following procedure: wooden bars are placed with few rows of metal pipes on the bottom of bath tube loaded with water, with small exits for air bubbles releasing. With the help of compressor(air-pump) air is under pressure of 1-1.5 atmospheres put in the pipe, and during exit from the exits it creates bubbly water. Water temperature is 34-36 degrees, and lasting of bath process is 10-15 minutes. Treatment is 12-15 procedures.

Salt bath is one of the most widespread recovery devices with use of sea or other salt water. Baths in salt water are having very good influence to cardiovascular system, tonizing and regulating CNS processes, stimating functional ability of neuromuscular apparatus… Baths are used in following way: 5kg of dissolved salt(kitchen,sea) is put in bath tube with water temperature 35-37 degrees. Bath lasts 12-15 procedures.

Bors bath has its own specific action, it irritiates peripheral ends of skin receptors and analyzers, and also aromatic action of pine by complex reflectory way it works sedatively on central nervous system. Bors baths are done through ordinary water(200l of water and 50-70g of pine extract), which temperature in bath tube is 35-37 degrees. Bath lasts for 10-15 minutes and it is done every second or every day. Treatmant lasts 15-20 procedures.

“Technology of sports training and recovery”, Julijan Malacko&Dragan Doder