Cold and Warm Water for Performance Recovery

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Repeated Cold- and Warm Water Immersion on Performance Recovery

The overall aim of this study is, to evaluate the effectiveness of repeated cold- and warm water immersion on performance recovery after muscle damage.

Participants perform a muscle-damage protocol, which comprises 5x20 drop jumps. After the exercise protocol is finished, the participants will undergo one of three recovery interventions. Cold-water immersion, Warm-water immersion or the control-intervention. During the exercise protocol and the recovery intervention following parameters will be assessed: Blood oxygenation, Muscle oxygenation, heart-rate, skin temperature and core temperature.

Then, performance recovery will be assessed during the following 72 hrs (in a 24 hrs interval).

At each time-point, following measurements will be conducted: vertical-jump performance, maximum voluntary isometric contraction of the m.quadriceps femoris muscle, muscle swelling and delayed-onset of muscle soreness.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy participants
• No surgeries
• No previous injuries
• Anticonceptiva allowed

Exclusion Criteria:

• Acute injuries or current pain situations
• Cryophobia
• Fear
• Pregnancy
• Raynaud syndrome
• Medication intake