Can Water Temperature and Immersion Time Influence the Effect of Cold Water Immersion on Muscle Soreness? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Machado AF, Ferreira PH, Micheletti JK, de Almeida AC, Lemes ÍR, Vanderlei FM, Netto Junior J, Pastre CM
Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 123 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Meta-analysis (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
- Government
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Government
- The São Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP
- Government
- National Council for Scientific and Technological Development—CNPq
- Grants
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (2014/)
Based on 4 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2015-11-18 · Sports Med · vol. 46 · issue 4 · pp. 503–514
- Publisher
- Springer Science+Business Media
- Cited
- 222 citations · more than 93% of similar papers · 3.1× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 44 works
- Access
- Open access (hybrid journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Exercise and Physiological Responses · Cardiovascular and exercise physiology · Thermoregulation and physiological responses
- Keywords
- Meta-analysis, Medicine, Immersion (mathematics), Confidence interval, Randomized controlled trial, Web of science, MEDLINE, Sports medicine, Time trial, Physical therapy, Surgery, Internal medicine, Heart rate
- MeSH
- humans, cryotherapy, time factors, randomized controlled trials as topic, cold temperature, myalgia
8 authors
From BR, AU
- Aryane Flauzino MachadoUniversidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
- Paulo H. FerreiraThe University of Sydney
- Jéssica Kirsch MichelettiUniversidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
- Aline Castilho de AlmeidaUniversidade Federal de São Carlos
- Ítalo Ribeiro LemesUniversidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
- Franciele Marques VanderleiUniversidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Abstract
Background
Cold water immersion (CWI) is a technique commonly used in post-exercise recovery. However, the procedures involved in the technique may vary, particularly in terms of water temperature and immersion time, and the most effective approach remains unclear.
Objectives
The objective of this systematic review was to determine the efficacy of CWI in muscle soreness management compared with passive recovery. We also aimed to identify which water temperature and immersion time provides the best results.
Methods
The MEDLINE, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, PEDro [Physiotherapy Evidence Database], and CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) databases were searched up to January 2015. Only randomized controlled trials that compared CWI to passive recovery were included in this review. Data were pooled in a meta-analysis and described as weighted mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results
Nine studies were included for review and meta-analysis. The results of the meta-analysis revealed that CWI has a more positive effect than passive recovery in terms of immediate (MD = 0.290, 95% CI 0.037, 0.543; p = 0.025) and delayed effects (MD = 0.315, 95% CI 0.048, 0.581; p = 0.021). Water temperature of between 10 and 15 °C demonstrated the best results for immediate (MD = 0.273, 95% CI 0.107, 0.440; p = 0.001) and delayed effects (MD = 0.317, 95% CI 0.102, 0.532; p = 0.004). In terms of immersion time, immersion of between 10 and 15 min had the best results for immediate (MD = 0.227, 95% 0.139, 0.314; p < 0.001) and delayed effects (MD = 0.317, 95% 0.102, 0.532, p = 0.004).
Conclusions
The available evidence suggests that CWI can be slightly better than passive recovery in the management of muscle soreness. The results also demonstrated the presence of a dose-response relationship, indicating that CWI with a water temperature of between 11 and 15 °C and an immersion time of 11-15 min can provide the best results.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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