Postexercise cold water immersion benefits are not greater than the placebo effect
Broatch JR, Petersen A, Bishop DJ
Medicine and science in sports and exercise · 115 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Funding not disclosed
Publication
- Published
- 2014-03-27 · Med Sci Sports Exerc · vol. 46 · issue 11 · pp. 2139–2147
- Publisher
- Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
- Cited
- 154 citations · more than 99% of similar papers · 11.3× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 43 works
- Access
- Paywalled
- Research areas
- Exercise and Physiological Responses · Cardiovascular and exercise physiology · Sports Performance and Training
- Keywords
- Placebo, Medicine, Isometric exercise, High-intensity interval training, Physical therapy, Anesthesia
- MeSH
- thigh, humans, water, interleukin-6, leukocyte count, exercise, immersion, pain threshold, placebo effect, recovery of function, physical education and training, adult, male, muscle strength, cold temperature, young adult, thermosensing, surveys and questionnaires
3 authors
From AU
- James R. BroatchVictoria University
- Aaron C. PetersenVictoria University
- David John Bishop · correspondingVictoria University
Abstract
Purpose
Despite a general lack of understanding of the underlying mechanisms, cold water immersion (CWI) is widely used by athletes for recovery. This study examined the physiological merit of CWI for recovery from high-intensity exercise by investigating if the placebo effect is responsible for any acute performance or psychological benefits.
Methods
Thirty males (mean ± SD: age, 24 ± 5 yr; VO2 peak, 51.1 ± 7.0 mL · kg(-1) · min(-1)) performed an acute high-intensity interval training session, comprised of 4 × 30-s sprints, immediately followed by one of the following three 15-min recovery conditions: CWI (10.3°C ± 0.2°C), thermoneutral water immersion placebo (TWP) (34.7°C ± 0.1°C), or thermoneutral water immersion control (TWI) (34.7°C ± 0.1°C). An intramuscular thermistor was inserted during exercise and recovery to record muscle temperature. Swelling (thigh girth), pain threshold/tolerance, interleukin 6 concentration, and total leukocyte, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts were recorded at baseline, postexercise, postrecovery, and 1, 24, and 48 h postexercise. A maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) of the quadriceps was performed at the same time points, with the exception of postexercise. Self-assessments of readiness for exercise, fatigue, vigor, sleepiness, pain, and belief of recovery effectiveness were also completed.
Results
Leg strength after the MVC and ratings of readiness for exercise, pain, and vigor were significantly impaired in TWI compared with those in CWI and TWP which were similar to each other.
Conclusions
A recovery placebo administered after an acute high-intensity interval training session is superior in the recovery of muscle strength over 48 h as compared with TWI and is as effective as CWI. This can be attributed to improved ratings of readiness for exercise, pain, and vigor, suggesting that the commonly hypothesized physiological benefits surrounding CWI are at least partly placebo related.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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