Post-exercise cold-water immersion improves the performance in a subsequent 5-km running trial

Abstract

Various post-exercise strategies have been proposed to accelerate recovery during periods of training. However, the effects of water immersion (WI) temperature on recovery amid multiple daily exercise bouts are not well investigated. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of cold and warm water immersion temperatures between acute exercise bouts vs. no WI recovery on running performance. METHODS: Nine recreationally trained men (age: 24.0 ± 6.0 years old) participated in four experimental sessions using a crossover design. Each experimental session consisted of unilateral eccentric knee flexion exercise and 90 min of treadmill running at 70% of peak oxygen consumption followed by 15 min of WI at 15°C, 28°C or 38°C or passive recovery seated at room temperature (CON). Four hours following WI or CON, subjects completed a 5 km running time trial. Rectal temperature (Trec), heart rate, and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) were measured. RESULTS: Statistical analyses indicated that time trial performance was not affected by post-exercise recovery by WI (P > .05). The magnitude-based inferences indicated that 15°C (+ 3.6 ± 7.8%) likely and 28°C (+ 3.2 ± 7.5%) possibly improved recovery compared with CON, while the effect of 38°C (-0.1 ± 12.3%) on recovery was unclear. During WI, heart rate and rectal temperature were not different from CON, but EPOC was higher in 15°C and 28°C compared to CON. Trec in 15°C was lower than CON from the 15th min post WI. EPOC was also greater in 15°C post WI compared to CON. CONCLUSION: WI at 15°C and 28°C following acute exercise likely and possibly, respectively, improved subsequent 5 km running time trial performance. We speculate that the faster recovery in core temperature post-exercise may underlie these improvements in recovery.

Functional Impact of Post-exercise Cooling and Heating on Recovery and Training Adaptations: Application to Resistance, Endurance, and Sprint Exercise

“…We also included some studies employing ice-chilled cuffs and other body cooling systems [19][20][21]. The few studies employing post-exercise heating used hot water immersion (HWI) of the lower limbs or whole-body HWI (38-40 °C for 15-40 min) [16,[22][23][24], hot water-perfused arm-cuff [19] or heat pad [25] (see Tables 1, 2, 3). Contrast water therapy (CWT), which consists of alternating CWI and HWI for 10-30 min, is also commonly used during recovery, in particular after endurance exercise (see Table 2).…”

“…TWI: 30 °C for 10 min. CON: 10 min PR Similar jump performance (triple hop distance) and strength (maximal voluntary concentric KE at 60°/s) in the 3 groups immediately and @ 24 h post-recovery Ø of CWI on jump performance and maximal strength ( @ 0 and 24 h De Paula et al [ 22 ] Recreationally trained subjects (9 M, 24 Y) Running: Unilateral ECC KF EX + 90 min running (70% VO 2peak ). 20 °C and 70% RH Crossover design: CWI: 15 °C for 15 min.…”

“…In contrast, post-exercise CWI (14–15 °C for 5–15 min) does not improve the performance of a subsequent endurance exercise performed in thermoneutral conditions when the period between the two sessions is more prolonged (3 to 9.5 h) [ 22 , 84 , 85 ], despite an improved perceived recovery [ 84 ]. Rectal temperature measured during a 5-km running time trial performed ~ 4 h after an initial exhaustive endurance exercise was identical between CWI and passive recovery trials [ 22 ], indicating that thermal stress during the second session was certainly similar in both conditions. To conclude, although numerous factors need to be considered (e.g., duration and intensity of exercise, ambient conditions, CWI protocol, etc.…”

“…In contrast, prolonged local heating (38 °C heated arm cuff for 2 h) improved fatigue resistance during 3 × 5 min all-out arm-cycling bouts performed in thermoneutral conditions ~ 10 min after heating [ 19 ]. Another study found that short HWI (38 °C for 15 min) did not affect 5-km running performance (compared with passive recovery) in thermoneutral conditions ~ 4 h following the initial bout [ 22 ]. These controversial findings could result from the duration and form of local heating, and from the exercise test performed.…”

Modulation of Leukocyte Subsets Mobilization in Response to Exercise by Water Immersion Recovery

“…Although the physiological significance of post-exercise inflammation on muscle function and biology has been recognized, reduced muscle capacity and exercise performance has been also associated with inflammation. We have previously demonstrated that cold-water immersion likely and thermoneutral-water immersion possibly improved the recovery of running performance after the exhaustive exercise protocol used in the present study, while the effectiveness of recovery by hot-water immersion was unclear (De Paula et al, 2018). Based on this, and because immersion in cold and hot water are associated with distinct vascular responses, we hypothesized that cold-water but not hotwater immersion would attenuate the exercise-induced leukocytosis.…”