Cold Water Immersion for Athletic Performance

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles

Disqualifiers: Injury, Open wounds, Cold hypersensitivity, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 5

75 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Cold Water Immersion for athletic performance?

Cold water immersion may help improve performance in athletes over a longer period, as seen in volleyball players who showed a trend toward better performance after 16 days. Additionally, rugby players experienced improved jump performance and recovery perception 12 hours after using cold water immersion. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is cold water immersion generally safe for humans?

Cold water immersion is generally considered safe for humans, as it is widely used for recovery after exercise and has been studied in various athletic contexts without significant safety concerns. ^{2 3 4 6 7}

How does cold water immersion differ from other treatments for athletic performance?

Cold water immersion is unique because it involves immersing the body in cold water to aid recovery and improve performance, particularly 12 hours after exercise. Unlike other treatments, it is a non-invasive, practical tool that can enhance recovery perception and performance in specific physical tests, making it especially useful during periods requiring quick recovery. ^{3 4 5 8 9}

What is the purpose of this trial?

In this study, the investigators will examine the effect of cold-water immersion (CWI) on objective and subjective recovery metrics, as well as simple performance metrics, in National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I Men's and Women's Volleyball players, Men's Football players, and Men's and Women's Cross Country runners. This is a cohort cross-over study that will take place over the course of four weeks during an intensive training cycle. Participants will wear a WHOOP monitoring device on their wrists at all times during the study period. The two-week intervention will consist of ten minutes of CWI to take place within one hour of the completion of the last training session of the day. The target water temperature will be 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and each participant will complete five sessions of CWI per week (for a total of ten sessions over the two-week intervention phase). Objective recovery measures will include heart rate variability, resting heart rate, total sleep time, slow wave sleep time, sleep consistency, blood oxygenation, and nocturnal skin temperature, all of which will be collected continuously by the WHOOP monitoring device. Subjective recovery measures will include three surveys to be completed daily, including the Likert Scale of Muscle Soreness, the Total Quality Recovery Scale, and the Single-Item Sleep Questionnaire. Performance measures will include a counter-movement jump to be completed two times per week, an isometric mid-thigh pull to be completed once per week, and a drop jump to be completed once per week. These outcome measures will similarly be collected during the two-week control period, during which participants will not have access to CWI following training sessions.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for NCAA Division I athletes in volleyball, football, and cross country. Participants must be willing to undergo cold water immersion after training and wear a WHOOP device to monitor recovery metrics.

Inclusion Criteria

Currently enrolled at UCLA and participating in Men's and Women's Volleyball, Football, Men's and Women's Cross Country

Exclusion Criteria

Under the influence of drugs or alcohol

I cannot do the needed physical tests because of an injury or other health issue.

I am under 18 years old.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 week

Control Phase

Participants complete normal training sessions without cold water immersion for 14 days

2 weeks

Continuous monitoring with WHOOP device

Intervention Phase

Participants undergo cold water immersion sessions within one hour of training completion for 14 days

2 weeks

5 sessions per week, total of 10 sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for recovery and performance metrics

1 week

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Cold Water Immersion

Trial Overview The study tests if soaking in a pool of cold water (55°F) for ten minutes helps with muscle soreness, sleep quality, and athletic performance during an intense training cycle. Athletes will compare their recovery with and without the cold-water treatment over four weeks.

Participant Groups

Group I: Cold water immersion phase. Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group II: Control phase. Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, Los Angeles

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,594

Recruited

10,430,000+

WHOOP Inc.

Collaborator

Trials

4

Recruited

790+

Whoop Inc.

Industry Sponsor

Trials

5

Recruited

1,300+

Findings from Research

Cold water immersion (CWI) at temperatures of 10-15°C for 5-15 minutes is shown to effectively enhance recovery of performance in athletes, making it a popular choice for minimizing fatigue after exercise.

Contrast water therapy (CWT), which alternates between cold and hot water, may also aid recovery, but its effectiveness depends on equal time spent in both temperatures and short immersion durations, with no clear dose-response relationship established.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Water immersion recovery for athletes: effect on exercise performance and practical recommendations. Versey, NG., Halson, SL., Dawson, BT.[2022]

References

1. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Water immersion recovery for athletes: effect on exercise performance and practical recommendations. [2022]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cold water immersion recovery after simulated collision sport exercise. [2022]

3. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cold Water Immersion is Acutely Detrimental but Increases Performance Post-12 h in Rugby Players. [2017]

4. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Acute and Longer-Term Effects of Cold Water Immersion in Highly-Trained Volleyball Athletes During an Intense Training Block. [2023]

5. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of Cold-Water Immersion Compared with Passive Recovery Following a Single Bout of Strenuous Exercise on Athletic Performance in Physically Active Participants: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis and Meta-regression. [2022]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Precooling, Hyperthermia, and Postexercise Cooling Rates in Humans Wearing American Football Uniforms. [2020]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of cold-water immersion on physical performance. [2020]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does hydrotherapy help or hinder adaptation to training in competitive cyclists? [2014]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Body Composition on Physiological Responses to Cold-Water Immersion and the Recovery of Exercise Performance. [2018]