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Lady Gaga chills in an ice bath ahead of VMAs, excited fans say this is proof 'she's coming to serve'

Lady Gaga shared a new photo on Instagram where she is seen wearing a mask while having an ice bath as she preps for the MTV Video Music Awards

Lady Gaga has taken to her social media to share her ice-bath routine before the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards. On her Instagram post shared on August 25, the 'Rain On Me' songstress is seen taking an ice-cold dip in a steel bathtub. In the photo, Lady Gaga is posing with devil horn hand signals while wearing a face mask as she readies herself for the award ceremony.

Fans were quick to comment on her post. One said, "Nah cause you know it’s serious when she’s back in the ice bath.... i’m scared." Anotehr said, "What does the ice bath before a performance do? Good luck." Over on Twitter, one fan says, "You know she’s coming to serve when she’s taking ice baths again."

Another fan writes, "Coming to save the vmas."

"Girl doesn’t that hurt," another fan asked.

One said, "Already performance of the year. and another added, "We are ready for ariana and her."

For fans of Gaga, her routine of taking an ice-cold bath before shows is no secret. In October last year, it was reported that the singer shared similar photos. Her routine also includes a hot bath that follows after the cold bath to ease the muscles. At the time, she wrote in her caption, "Post show routine. Ice bath for 5-10 min, hot bath for 20, then compression suit packed with ice packs for 20." 

As some fans have also pointed out, Gaga's bath ritual is also for her fibromyalgia and chronic pain. The singer was diagnosed with fibromyalgia several years ago. Gaga blames her illness on physical and mental contributors: PTSD (caused by a sexual assault by a music producer at the age of 19) and breaking her hip in 2013 during her 'Born This Way' world tour. Since then, she said she intermittently deals with "global and mental pain", so her bath routine is something she has taken up to ease her personal challenges.

Ice baths (aka cold water immersion therapy) are taken to lower the temperature of the muscles after strenuous exercising. According to Health.com, Lauren Lobert, the DPT, CSCS, physical therapist and owner of APEX Physical Therapy in Brighton, Michigan, explained the significance of the therapy. "One theory is that ice baths decrease muscle temperature and blood flow to the muscles so the chemicals and inflammation that your body makes during and after strenuous exercise is less," She added. "These chemicals are part of why you feel sore after exercise, and by decreasing their production you may be less sore."

When Gaga climbs into a hot bath, that is called contrast therapy. Mandy Johnson, DPT, physical therapist and owner of Renegade Wellness in Cheyenne, Wyoming, explained, "Here, the theory is that by dilating and constricting the blood vessels you are able to stimulate reduced swelling with the cold bath and then increased blood flow with the hot bath in order to reduce swelling in your muscles." Johnson also noted that this therapy can additionally repair any small muscle damage that can occur with exercise.

For the forthcoming VMAs, Gaga is slated to perform songs from her new album 'Chromatica' live for the very first time. The event will take place on August 31 and will feature a star-studded lineup that so far includes The Weeknd, BTS, J Balvin, Doja Cat, Roddy Ricch, CNCO and Maluma.