Original paper
Effect of water immersion methods on post-exercise recovery from simulated team sport exercise

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Abstract

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of hot/cold contrast water immersion (CWI), cold-water immersion (COLD) and no recovery treatment (control) as post-exercise recovery methods following exhaustive simulated team sports exercise. Repeated sprint ability, strength, muscle soreness and inflammatory markers were measured across the 48-h post-exercise period. Eleven male team-sport athletes completed three 3-day testing trials, each separated by 2 weeks. On day 1, baseline measures of performance (10 m × 20 m sprints and isometric strength of quadriceps, hamstrings and hip flexors) were recorded. Participants then performed 80 min of simulated team sports exercise followed by a 20-m shuttle run test to exhaustion. Upon completion of the exercise, and 24 h later, participants performed one of the post-exercise recovery procedures for 15 min. At 48 h post-exercise, the performance tests were repeated. Blood samples and muscle soreness ratings were taken before and immediately after post-exercise, and at 24 h and 48 h post-exercise. In comparison to the control and CWI treatments, COLD resulted in significantly lower (p < 0.05) muscle soreness ratings, as well as in reduced decrements to isometric leg extension and flexion strength in the 48-h post-exercise period. COLD also facilitated a more rapid return to baseline repeated sprint performances. The only benefit of CWI over control was a significant reduction in muscle soreness 24 h post-exercise. This study demonstrated that COLD following exhaustive simulated team sports exercise offers greater recovery benefits than CWI or control treatments.

Introduction

Exhaustive training and competition can potentially fatigue the musculoskeletal, nervous and metabolic systems, as well as produce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Subsequent performance may then be compromised. To maintain peak performance, coaches and athletes often use post-exercise recovery techniques to reduce recovery time. Currently, cold-water immersion (COLD) is commonly undertaken by athletes following strenuous exercise to promote recovery, diminish muscle soreness and to hasten a return to optimal performance capabilities.1 However, despite evidence for cryotherapy/COLD to lessen the inflammatory response,2 its effect on DOMS or performance is equivocal.2, 3, 4, 5

Contrast water immersion (CWI), the repeated alternation of cryotherapy and thermotherapy, has a long history of use in sports medicine for managing oedema, and inflammation from injury.1, 6, 7 However, in recent times, CWI has become popular as a post-exercise recovery method.1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Benefits associated with CWI may be linked to changes in intra-muscular hydrostatic pressure by alternating vasoconstriction and vasodilation, which may alter blood flow in immersed musculature and improve lactate removal.11 However, similar to COLD, evidence for CWI to reduce DOMS and to attenuate the detrimental effects of exercise on subsequent performance is equivocal. Coffey et al. 8 and Dawson et al.9 found no performance benefits from CWI at 4 h and 48 h post-exercise after treadmill running and team game exercise, respectively. Conversely, Vaile et al. 11 and Kuligowski et al. 10 reported a more rapid return to baseline performance measures following CWI in the 24–72 h after isolated eccentric muscle exercise. Differences between studies most likely related to varying immersion times (15 min 8, 9, 11 vs. 24 min10), different exercise protocols (treadmill running8, team game,9 eccentric exercises of the legs11 and elbows10), as well as different performance measures (noted above).

Given the potential detrimental impact that intense training and competition can have on athletic well-being, effective post-exercise recovery procedures are vital for optimal performance. While many elite sporting teams use COLD and/or CWI as post-exercise recovery modalities, there is limited data available regarding their impact on subsequent performance. Further, most studies examining post-exercise recovery modalities have induced muscle damage using eccentric exercise,2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 rather than exercise simulating the dynamic multi-joint patterns of movement typically used during team sports. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of both COLD and CWI as recovery methods in the 48 h period following simulated team sport exercise. It was hypothesised that COLD and CWI would be superior recovery methods compared to a control condition and that there would be no significant differences between COLD and CWI.

Section snippets

Methods

Eleven male athletes (mean ± S.D. for age, height and body mass are 27.5 ± 6.0 years; 178.3 ± 6.1 cm and 76.0 ± 6.1 kg, respectively), with team games experience, volunteered for this study. All participants signed an informed consent form, and the study was approved by the Human Ethics Committee of The University of Western Australia (UWA).

Experimental overview

All participants performed a full familiarisation of the performance tests and exercise protocol 2 weeks prior to study commencement. Additionally, reliability trials were performed for each performance variable. Before all performance tests, a 12 min warm-up of jogging, sprinting and static stretching was performed. Subjects were given specific instructions that aimed to keep exercise intensity during this warm-up period the same, both over time and between subjects. The repeated sprint test

Data analysis

All data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 13.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) for Windows and alpha was set at p < 0.05. Results between recovery conditions were analysed using a one-way ANOVA with repeated measures, with Fisher's LSD being used for post hoc analysis. Paired sample t-tests were used to analyse pre and 48 h post-exercise performance scores within each recovery condition. Cohen's effect sizes (ES) were also calculated for all data using the

Results

All results are expressed as mean ± S.D. Dry bulb temperature and relative humidity recorded for each exercise session were 19.8 ± 1.5 °C and 41 ± 12%, respectively.

During the simulated team game protocol, RPE scores revealed a significant main effect for time (p = 0.000). Values increased from 15 ± 1 after the first quarter of the exercise protocol to 19 ± 1 after the shuttle run, indicating near maximal exhaustion.

Muscle soreness ratings were significantly higher than baseline immediately after exercise,

Discussion

This study assessed the effects of CWI and COLD on recovery of athletic performance and indicators of exercise-induced muscle damage following exhaustive simulated team game exercise. Importantly, the intensity and duration of the exercise used here induced acute muscle soreness and damage, as evidenced by significantly greater muscle soreness (7 ± 2), and plasma CK levels (131% increase) immediately and 24 h post-exercise.

The results demonstrated COLD to be a superior recovery modality when

Conclusion

It was concluded that COLD was superior to both CWI and control treatments as a post-exercise recovery procedure following exhaustive team game exercise.

Practical implications

For the 48 h recovery of muscle soreness, repeat sprint ability and leg strength, COLD may be more effective than CWI or no recovery treatment following exhaustive team sport exercise.

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