A Scientific Overview of Cold Therapy Techniques for Recovery
Cold exposure techniques have been demonstrated to enhance recovery in many Scientific studies. This is as cold temperatures will reduce inflammation by triggering a process called vasoconstriction (the narrowing of blood vessels) which will reduce blood flow to your muscles. Additionally, cold exposure will also help to relieve muscle soreness by slowing nerve conduction so fewer pain signals can reach the brain.
Step-by-step Protocol to Improve Recovery through Ice Baths:
1. Temperature:
For recovery it is recommend that you keep your ice bath at temperatures between 10-15°C as if you were to go colder you would not be able to stay in the ice bath for as long.
2. Duration:
You should aim to spend at least 10-15 minutes in the ice bath for recovery as this ensure that not just your skin temperature drops but also your muscle temperature.
3. Frequency:
You should aim to complete following every workout or if you workout in the evenings you can have an ice bath the following morning.
4. Time of Day:
It’s important you try to have the ice bath 4 hours post workout (Piñero et al, 2024). This is because during the 4 hour period post workout the body needs inflammation to help repair the muscles and having an ice bath during this period would impair this due to their anti-inflammatory effects. However, after this 4 hour period has ended the body no longer needs the inflammation to repair the muscles.
5. Progression:
Provided you can still stay in the ice bath for 10 minutes or more you should aim to gradually decrease temperature as this will help to further lower muscle temperature.
Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of recent reports and findings on cold therapy and recovery:
1. Study – Partial-body cryotherapy (−135°C) and cold-water immersion (10°C) after muscle damage in females.
Objective:
The goal of this study is to see how cold-water immersion therapy and partial-body cryotherapy affect physiological and recovery variables after exercise-induced muscle injury.
Theory:
Using the vasoconstrictive impact of cold water to reduce metabolism and inflammation.
Findings:
Cold water immersion and partial-body cryotherapy are both effective treatments for delayed onset muscular soreness (DOMS).
Both cold water immersion therapy and partial-body cryotherapy cause physiological changes such as lowering metabolic activity that shorten recovery time; however, cold water immersion therapy was found to be more effective at shortening recovery time.
(Hohenauer et al, 2020)
2. Study – A Systematic Review of the Effects of Cold-Water Immersion Therapy and Contrast Water Therapy on Post-Exercise Recovery:
Objective:
The goal of this study is to see how cold-water immersion (CWI) and contrast water therapy (CWT) affect athletic performance recovery after high-intensity exercise.
Findings:
When compared to contrast water therapy, CWI dampens the rise in creatine kinase and minimises reported muscular discomfort.
The most effective immersion temperatures are 9.2-12°C for periods of 14-18 minutes.
(Graham et al, 2017)
3. Study – Recovery from Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: Cold-Water Immersion Versus Whole-Body Cryotherapy
Objective:
To compare the effects of cold-water immersion and whole-body cryotherapy on recovery kinetics after exercise-induced muscle damage.
Findings:
CWI was more effective than WBC in accelerating recovery kinetics for countermovement-jump performance at 72 h postexercise. CWI also demonstrated lower soreness and higher perceived recovery levels across 24–48 h postexercise.
(Abaïdia et al, 2017)
4. Study – Use of Performance Markers in Elite Footballers:
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of cold-water immersion (CWI) or passive recovery (PR) on performance parameters in top male footballers after fatiguing activity.
Theory:
Cold water reduces inflammation which reduces delayed onset muscular soreness (DOMS).
Findings:
Cold water immersion speeds up the regeneration of hamstring strength following intensive training.
Cold water immersion improved overall well-being, sleep, weariness, stress, and muscle soreness.
Cold water immersion improved eccentric hamstring strength recovery and faster return to baseline.
(Alexander et al, 2022)
Conclusion:
These studies demonstrate strong scientific evidence for the use of cold exposure techniques to speed up recovery. Additionally, they highlight a protocol of temperatures between 9-12 °C for periods of 14-18 minutes is most optimal for reducing muscle soreness post exercise.
Reference:
1. Hohenauer, E., Costello, J. T., Deliens, T., Clarys, P., Stoop, R., & Clijsen, R. (2020). Partial-body cryotherapy (-135°C) and cold-water immersion (10°C) after muscle damage in females. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 30(3), 485–495. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13593
2. Graham, A. (2017). Literature Review: The Effects of Cold Water Immersion and Contrast Water Therapy on Performance Recovery Following High-Intensity Exercise: A Systematic Review And Meta Analysis. JASC, volume 25 (issue 2). https://strengthandconditioning.org/jasc-25-2
3. Abaïdia, A. E., Lamblin, J., Delecroix, B., Leduc, C., McCall, A., Nédélec, M., Dawson, B., Baquet, G., & Dupont, G. (2017). Recovery From Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: Cold-Water Immersion Versus Whole-Body Cryotherapy. International journal of sports physiology and performance, 12(3), 402–409. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2016-0186
4. Alexander, J., Carling, C., & Rhodes, D. (2022). Utilisation of performance markers to establish the effectiveness of cold-water immersion as a recovery modality in elite football. Biology of sport, 39(1), 19–29. https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2021.103570
5. Piñero, A., Burke, R., Augustin, F., Mohan, A., DeJesus, K., Sapuppo, M., Weisenthal, M., Androulakis-Korakakis, P., Grgic, J., Swinton, P., & Schoenfield. (2024). Throwing cold water on muscle growth: A systematic review with meta-analysis of the effects of postexercise cold water immersion on resistance training-induced hypertrophy. European Jornal of Sports Science, 24 (2), 177-189. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejsc.12074?msockid=252d6a5a34ec680b11817ea835176987.
