Canada
A 20-year-old male asked:

If warm water relaxes muscles, will cold water cause muscles to tense up? so if i wash my head with cold water will it increase scalp tension?

1 doctor answer1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Daniel Ziegler
Emergency Medicine 32 years experience
Great question: Warm water increases blood flow to areas which helps to rejuvenate and relax tired muscles. Cold water does the opposite, decreases blood flow to muscle but won't necessarily cause spasm or tension. Like engines, muscles perform better when kept cool. Recent studies at Stanford show athletes wearing cooling suits have more endurance. I'm sure someone has a better answer . . doctors?
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Last updated Sep 28, 2018

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