I thought this article might be interesting to some.
http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/sports-medicine-experts-move-on-with-evidence-based-advice
Interesting post, Adrian. Most relevant to aging skiers. It seems so easy to get injured these days and healing seems to take longer.
Also relevant is recovery 'protocols'. Saw a TV show recently on the Australian Institute of Sports (where nearly all Oz elite athletes go to train) that said there really wasn't much hard science on the pros and cons of ice baths and there were investigating. Although ice baths after sports point to yes after endurance exercise and no after strength exercise. Skiing seems to be somewhat between those two given we get to sit on a lift between runs.
It would seem that facilitating the body's natural healing mechanisms is the optimum for recovery.
So.... perhaps I should be rethinking my current after ski recovery protocol - hot tub and a drink (2 drinks if over 25k vertical feet for the day)... ?
Haha, only 2?
Apres ski is certainly the ski instructor's recovery method of choice... although perhaps that's why you don't see many ski instructors winning world cups;)