Is a sauna good for injury and rehabilitation?

A question that is often asked in relation to saunas is whether or not using them helps or hinders an injury, e.g. typically a sports injury that may be a strain or tear.

Obviously, if you have suffered an injury you should consult with your doctor or specialist to determine the best treatments and the preferred ways of rehabilitating. You should never deviate from qualified medical advice. However here is some very general information concerning sauna use.

When it comes to injuries that do not involve any kind of wound, but which do relate to an injury to muscles or joints using a sauna can be beneficial.

With any kind of joint or muscle injury swelling and inflammation are very undesirable and this is why ice and cold packs are often used. These approaches discourage swelling. With these types of injury localised heat can cause or increase swelling and therefore the application of heat to the damaged area is normally discouraged.

What makes a sauna different

In the case of the sauna things are somewhat different. A sauna does not use localised heat, but rather it heats up the whole body and when this is the case the negative effects of localised heat application are not usually experienced.

Here are some of the benefits of using a sauna for this "injury recovery" purpose.

• When the whole body is heated there can be benefits both in terms of comfort and recovery. Heat normally results in increased relaxation which in turn can reduce pain and remove stress. In short you feel better.


• Heat will also increase overall circulation and heart rate, both of which promote healing and all round health.


• When the entire body is warm it also loosens up muscles and other body components which can make light exercise easier, or enable an increase in muscle or joint mobility.


• Using heat locally on an affected area will not have these benefits and may even cause harm, but when it is the body as a whole that sees a temperature increase there can be a positive outcome.

This video - Can a Jacuzzi or Sauna Help Treat Sports injuries offers an explanation of why a sauna or Jacuzzi can help with sports injuries and why the use of heat is not usually detrimental.