Contrast therapy for Northern Beaches surfers.Contrast therapy for Northern Beaches surfers.

Contrast therapy means alternating warm and cold environments. It can be part of a post-surf routine, but research does not establish that it repairs surfing injuries or makes everyone recover faster.

What are you comparing?

A sauna and an ice bath are different experiences. Studies of cold-water immersion, hot-water baths and sauna are not interchangeable. Water temperature, exposure, participants and exercise all affect what a study can tell us.

A cold ocean swim is also not a controlled ice bath. Surf conditions, access and water safety add separate risks. This guide is not an open-water recovery protocol.

What the research supports.

Cochrane’s review of cold-water immersion after exercise found some evidence of reduced reported muscle soreness compared with rest. The included trials were small and low quality; the best method and safety were unclear. Less soreness does not necessarily mean an injury has healed.

Laukkanen and colleagues’ Finnish cohort study found an association between more frequent sauna use and lower mortality in middle-aged Finnish men. It was observational, so it does not establish that sauna caused the difference or prescribe a routine for surfers.

Roberts and colleagues’ resistance-training study found smaller muscle and strength adaptations when cold-water immersion followed resistance training. Its specific protocol is not evidence that every cold dip has the same effect. Consider your training goals before treating post-training cold as an automatic step.

Make the practical choice first.

After a surf, the useful questions are simple: are you already cold, do you have an injury that needs attention, and does adding heat or cold suit you? A club visit is optional. It should not become a reason to ignore symptoms or replace individual advice.

What Saunday is planning for Narrabeen.

We’re planning a social sauna, infrared sauna and ice bath club in Narrabeen. The founding waitlist is free to join and does not reserve a membership.