Cold-water immersion (CWI) is a common recovery modality used to facilitate restoration of pre-exercise muscle force generation and soreness following high-intensity exercise. Although it is commonly used by athletes and commonly studied in sport science, evidence is equivocal regarding its efficacy. We compared 4 CWI protocols (10 or 30 minutes at 10 or 20°C) of different durations and temperatures with passive rest for their effects on drop jump and squat jump height, inflammation (IL-6, IL-10, IL-8, MPO, IL-1β, TNFα, IFNγ, GM-CSF, IL-2), and ratings of soreness/impairment following high-intensity intermittent sprint-exercise. CWI for 10 minutes at 10°C promoted restoration of force generation, while CWI for 30 minutes at 10°C was associated with lower ratings of soreness/impairment, but higher plasma IL-8 and MPO at 2 hours post-exercise. Overall, minor functional benefits of CWI for 10 minutes at 10°C were observed, while longer duration CWI protocols may increase post-exercise inflammation.

Cold-water immersion (CWI) is a common recovery modality used to facilitate restoration of pre-exercise muscle force generation and soreness following high-intensity exercise. Although it is commonly used by athletes and commonly studied in sport science, evidence is equivocal regarding its efficacy. We compared 4 CWI protocols (10 or 30 minutes at 10 or 20°C) of different durations and temperatures with passive rest for their effects on drop jump and squat jump height, inflammation (IL-6, IL-10, IL-8, MPO, IL-1β, TNFα, IFNγ, GM-CSF, IL-2), and ratings of soreness/impairment following high-intensity intermittent sprint-exercise. CWI for 10 minutes at 10°C promoted restoration of force generation, while CWI for 30 minutes at 10°C was associated with lower ratings of soreness/impairment, but higher plasma IL-8 and MPO at 2 hours post-exercise. Overall, minor functional benefits of CWI for 10 minutes at 10°C were observed, while longer duration CWI protocols may increase post-exercise inflammation.