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

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Recovery Strategies

Background:

• Effective recovery strategies are crucial for athletes undergoing intense training.
• The impact of water immersion (WI) temperature on recovery between multiple daily exercise sessions requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of cold and warm water immersion temperatures on running performance following acute exercise.
• To compare water immersion recovery with passive recovery in a simulated training scenario.

Main Methods:

• Nine recreationally trained men underwent four experimental sessions in a crossover design.
• Each session involved eccentric knee flexion, 90 minutes of running, followed by 15 minutes of water immersion (15°C, 28°C, 38°C) or passive recovery.
• A 5km running time trial was performed 4 hours post-immersion, with measurements of rectal temperature, heart rate, and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).

Main Results:

• Water immersion (WI) at 15°C and 28°C likely and possibly improved 5km time trial performance, respectively, compared to passive recovery (CON).
• No significant difference in heart rate or rectal temperature was observed during WI compared to CON.
• Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) was higher with 15°C and 28°C WI compared to CON, and rectal temperature was lower at 15°C post-immersion.

Conclusions:

• Water immersion at 15°C and 28°C may enhance subsequent running performance after acute exercise.
• Faster recovery of core body temperature following water immersion is a potential mechanism for improved performance.
• These findings suggest specific water immersion temperatures can be beneficial for athletes' recovery between training bouts.