Cold-Water Immersion for Sports Recovery

Overseen By Thalia Krauth-Ibarz, BSc

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: McGill University

Disqualifiers: Pregnancy, Vegan diet, GI diseases, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

12 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, you must have maintained stable use of medication and supplements for the last three months before the study.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Cold-water Immersion for sports recovery?

Cold-water immersion can improve performance in certain physical tests, like the 30-second continuous jump, 12 hours after use, and athletes report feeling better recovered compared to just resting. It may also help reduce muscle soreness and perceived exertion after intense exercise. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is cold-water immersion safe for humans?

Cold-water immersion (CWI) is generally considered safe for humans, as it is commonly used by athletes for recovery after exercise. However, it is important to follow recommended protocols, such as limiting the duration and frequency of exposure, to avoid potential risks like hypothermia (dangerously low body temperature). ^{2 6 7 8 9}

How does cold-water immersion differ from other treatments for sports recovery?

Cold-water immersion is unique because it involves immersing the body in cold water to help athletes recover faster after intense exercise. Unlike other treatments, it can improve performance in certain activities after 12 hours and is a practical tool for quick recovery, especially during busy sports seasons. ^{1 2 3 8 10}

What is the purpose of this trial?

In order to optimize sports performance, high-level athletes are required to manage conflicting training objectives, which often result in periods of high-volume training. These athletes need to perform heavy resistance training sessions to promote physiological adaptations, which consequently induce fatigue. Yet, they need to minimize fatigue to perform subsequent high-quality training sessions often within the same day. To support these training endeavours, a high-quality dietary regimen and adequate protein consumption is deemed to be an essential component of an athlete's recovery plan, as it has been shown to support muscle recovery and reduce muscle inflammation following exercise. Indeed, current sports nutrition recommendations advocate for the consumption of dietary protein and carbohydrate after exercise to promote tissue repair and replenish muscle energy stores (glycogen). Additionally, previous research has shown how water immersion therapies post-exercise may alleviate fatigue and restore performance. However, little is known about how different temperatures, as well as timing of cold-water immersion can support performance recovery in a population of athletes adhering to contemporary post-exercise nutrition recommendations. The objective of this project is to investigate the effects of timing of cold-water immersion relative to exercise on performance recovery within the same day, as well as to investigate whether cold water immersion augments blood amino acid concentrations after exercise and protein intake.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for healthy adults aged 18-40, with a BMI of >18.5 and <30, who regularly train in resistance exercises at least twice a week and compete in sports at various levels. They must not have musculoskeletal injuries affecting exercise or cold-water immersion, and should maintain stable medication, diet, lifestyle habits, and body weight.

Inclusion Criteria

Individual with a history of regular resistance training ≥2 per week for the past six months

Individual currently competing at the varsity, provincial, national, or international level in their respective sport

Individual who agrees to maintain usual training habits between sessions

Exclusion Criteria

History of alcohol or substance abuse in the 12 months prior to screening

Individual who is lactating, pregnant, or planning to become pregnant during the study

Individual adhering to a diet (e.g., vegan diet) that restricts consumption of dairy products

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Testing and Treatment

Participants undergo performance tests, resistance training, and water immersion therapy

1 day per session, with sessions separated by 7-30 days

3 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants complete questionnaires and assessments for muscle soreness and recovery

48 hours post each testing session

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Cold-water Immersion

Trial Overview The study tests how immediate or delayed cold-water immersion versus thermoneutral water immersion after heavy resistance training affects same-day recovery performance and blood amino acid levels post-exercise when following recommended protein intake.

Participant Groups

Group I: CWI_3 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

3 hour delayed cold water immersion

Group II: CWI_0 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

immediate cold-water immersion

Group III: THERM Active Control 1 Intervention

immediate thermoneutral water immersion

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

McGill University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

421

Recruited

1,017,000+

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. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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

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

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

3. Tunisia pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Experience of cold-water immersion on recovery efficiency after soccer match. [2022]

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

Evaluation of passive recovery, cold water immersion, and contrast baths for recovery, as measured by game performances markers, between two simulated games of rugby union. [2022]

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

Evaluation of hydrotherapy, using passive tests and power tests, for recovery across a cyclic week of competitive rugby union. [2022]

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

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

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

Cold Water Immersion as a Strategy for Muscle Recovery in Professional Basketball Players During the Competitive Season. [2021]

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

Effects of water immersion on posttraining recovery in Australian footballers. [2022]

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

Acute response to hydrotherapy after a simulated game of rugby. [2016]

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

Predictive Ability of Body Fat Percentage and Thigh Anthropometrics on Tissue Cooling During Cold-Water Immersion. [2022]