Heating Up: How Different Methods Warm Your Muscles

Let's talk about warming up muscles. There are a few ways to do this. Three methods were put to the test: a water-filled suit, a type of heat therapy called short-wave diathermy, and a good old hot bath. Ten people tried each method for an hour. All three raised muscle temps. But the water suit wasn't as effective as the other two. The hot bath also raised core body temperature more than the others. That might not sound bad, but it can make you feel too hot.The heat therapy had a interesting effect. It made the skin cooler on average, but certain spots got hotter than with the bath. People also felt more uncomfortable in the bath than with the other methods. So, what's the takeaway? Both the heat therapy and the bath worked to warm muscles. The heat therapy was more comfortable but only warmed specific areas. The bath warmed more areas but could make you feel too hot.