Kansas City Chiefs players say alternating between hot and cold therapy helps rejuvenate their muscles and relieve stress

• Kansas City Chiefs athletes like Michael Burton say hot and cold tubs help with muscle recovery.
• Alternating between heat and cold, called contrast therapy, can improve blood flow and ease pain.

As the Kansas City Chiefs prep for the Super Bowl, key players on the team said that a recovery technique called contrast therapy has been keeping their muscles in top shape for the big game.

Alternating between a hot tub and cold tub can help relieve sore muscles and other inflammation for faster healing, fullback Michael Burton told Insider.

"It just promotes that blood flow. The cold restricts it and then the heat opens it up. So you have that constant restrict-open up and you're getting nutrients and new blood to areas that are inflamed. I like to get that contrast," he said.

Linebacker Nick Bolton and cornerback Jaylen Watson also said the technique helps prevent fatigue after a hard workout.

"It kinda helps get your legs back. Cold tub kind of makes you stiff, so the hot allows you to not be as stiff and not feel as groggy the next day," Bolton said.

Guard Nick Allegretti said he likes the cold tub for his "mental checklist" to feel his best, combining strategies that help his mind relax with active recovery for his body.

"I feel like the mental aspect of recovery helps a ton for me too. So I think it's both, taking some time off the mind and working on the body as well," he said.

Hot and cold therapy can help speed muscle recovery and reduce stress

Research suggests that alternating between hot and cold, known as contrast therapy, may help ease fatigue and promote recovery for athletes, and could have mental health benefits, too.

Both heat and ice can be used to help reduce pain or promote healing by manipulating blood flow through the affected tissues, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Heat can help improve blood flow to help tissues heal, while cold has the opposite effect of constricting blood flow, and relieving muscle pain by flushing out lactic acid and numbing the area.

However, some evidence suggests that too much ice, particularly right after a workout or injury, can slow recovery and muscle growth.

Cold therapy can also help relieve stress by activating the nervous system and releasing a hormone and neurotransmitter called noradrenaline, research suggests.

Anywhere from 30 seconds to three minutes is effective, according to evidence, whether you're using an ice bath or a cold shower.