[Nick Voth is currently finishing his degree in Exercise Science from Bowling Green State University, where he competes on the Cross Country team. He is an Applied Sport Science Intern at Athletic Lab.]

Cold water immersion (CWI) is a common recovery modality employed by athletes to enhance post-exercise recovery. Athletes may use CWI to speed recovery and reduce muscle damage. Two potential arguments can be made regarding CWI. The first is that CWI has been used to speed recovery, allowing athletes to train hard every day. Acute recovery mechanisms of CWI include a reduction in central nervous system fatigue, reduced cardiovascular strain, increased rate of removal of muscle metabolites, and acceleration of return of parasympathetic drive (Ihsan et al., 2016). Vasoconstriction induced by cold temperatures, subsequently followed by vasodilation leads to a multifold increase in blood flow to the tissues (Adamczyk et al., 2016). On the other hand, these acute recovery mechanisms may inhibit the adaptive process that increases adaptation. CWI may lead athletes feeling fresh for subsequent training sessions, however, the timing of this strategy may inhibit crucial adaptations. It is important to find a balance between the acute and chronic implications of CWI before using it as an intervention in training.

Dr. Jeff Messer (2013) describes two types of inflammation in a lecture on ice bathing: compensatory and adaptive. Compensatory inflammation may accompany a traumatic injury (ex: joint sprain), while adaptive inflammation is associated with training induced muscle damage. CWI immersion after exercise may inhibit cellular responses associated with adaptation. He argues that cellular and mechanical stress are pre-requisites to adaptation (Messer, 2013). This point brings up speculations as to appropriate timing and use of CWI. If an athlete is in a phase of training that is primarily focused on making improvements to fitness, CWI may be detrimental. The following blog will discuss a plan for the periodization of CWI across a season.

Pre-Season

In the preparatory period of a macrocycle, the primary focus of training is on improving fitness qualities that will allow an athlete to perform well during the competition period. Adaptations to training during this phase are crucial. Therefore, recovery strategies employed may have an impact on adaptation. Yamane et al. (2006) studied post-exercise CWI in endurance and resistance training. Post-exercise CWI was found to decrease VO2max in a cooled leg compared to a control leg, in addition to having no effect on max strength in the arm. It was concluded that the cellular-induced stresses associated with myofiber hypertrophy and increased capillary density were disrupted by CWI (Yamane et al. 2006). Clearly, this is not something that coaches and athletes want to occur when they are focused on increasing performance capabilities. Regardless of the training stimulus, CWI has the potential to limit athletes. The stress induced by training session is what allows athletes to get stronger or faster. There is no need to speed the process of recovery during a phase of training adaptive in nature. CWI may have positive acute effects, but the chronic implications of CWI may limit athletes later. Therefore, in this phase of training, CWI should be used sparingly, if at all.

In-Season

As the season progresses and the shift to a heavy competition period occurs, CWI may be employed. Periodization follows a transition from gaining fitness to restoring the body. Obviously, there is some variability in how different sports progress into competitive phases. Some sports may maintain high volume or intensity in early competitive phases, potentially compromising performance, to continue making fitness improvements. On the contrary, some sports may have a clear distinction between the two periods. Regardless of how gradual the progression is, fatigue management becomes more of a priority while an athlete is competing. Cheung et al. (2003) concluded there are few benefits of CWI other than analgesic effects. Similarly, Adamczyk et al. (2016) demonstrated CWI was effective in preventing delayed-onset muscle soreness. When competition demands are high, coaches focus on keeping their athletes healthy and ready to utilize fitness on the competition surface. CWI is now an appropriate recovery modality because it may increase athlete readiness for competition. While an athlete is competing, the acute benefits of reducing muscle soreness outweigh the potential benefits of gains in fitness. If an athlete does not feel physically ready to employ their fitness, there is almost no point in training in the first place.

This information is particularly useful for athletes who compete in sports with multiple competitions per week or must perform multiple times over the course of a couple days. CWI can be used to speed recovery and increase readiness for an athlete’s next event. It is important to note that CWI should not be necessarily be used when an athlete has multiple performances within the same day. Crowe et al. (2007) found that anaerobic performance was reduced when subjects performed two maximal 30-second cycle sprints separated by one hour. It was concluded that vasoconstriction and the decrease in core temperature inhibited subsequent performances, even when another warm-up was completed (Crowe et al., 2007). Therefore, it seems that longer periods are necessary to facilitate recovery from bouts of high-intensity exercise. Lane and Wenger (2004) suggest that subsequent performances can be enhanced following a period of 24-hours after CWI.

How I Use CWI

As a collegiate distance runner, I only employ CWI in the latter stages of a racing season. Collegiate cross country is competed in the fall. Summer months and early fall are spent building mileage and developing aerobic capacity. I do not ice bathe during this period because I do not want to inhibit adaptation. As I begin racing, I gradually ease into ice bathing. Early in the season, there is still more of an emphasis on training than racing. Initially, this recovery strategy is only employed on designed recovery or easy running days. This enhances the recovery process but still allows for adaptation from higher intensity training sessions. Towards the latter stages of the season when preparation for championship races occurs, I use CWI as a daily intervention. Fitness is irrelevant if I toe the line feeling fatigued. CWI is a great tool, but it must be used properly to get the most out of a cycle.

Conclusion

Before using this strategy as a daily intervention, one should analyze current training goals to determine if CWI is the best means for recovery. There may a better way to enhance recovery which could allow for greater gains in fitness. Discussing the efficacy of other recovery modalities is beyond the scope of this blog, however, alternative strategies may include massage, active recovery, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, compression clothing, stretching, or electromyostimulation (Barnett, 2006). All in all, CWI may be detrimental to training if not used correctly. The model previously discussed suggests it is best to use this strategy only during heavy competition phases in which peak performance is the primary goal.

References

Adamczyk, J.G., Krasowska, I., Boguszewski, D., & Reaburn, P. (2016). The use of thermal imaging to assess the effectiveness of ice massage and cold-water immersion as methods for supporting post-exercise recovery. Journal of Thermal Biology, 60, 20-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2016.05.006

Barnett, A. (2006). Using recovery modalities between training session in elite athletes: Does it help? Sports Medicine, 36(9), 781-796. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200636090-00005

Cheung, K., Hume, P.A., & Maxwell, L. (2003). Delayed onset muscle soreness. Sport Medicine, 33(2), 145-164. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200333020-00005

Crowe, M.J., O Connor, D., Rudd, D. (2007). Cold water recovery reduces anaerobic performance. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 28(12), 994-998. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-965118

Ihsan, M., Watson, G., & Abbiss, C.R. (2016). What are the physiological mechanisms for post-exercise cold water immersion in the recovery from prolonged endurance intermittent exercise? Sports Medicine, 46(8), 1095-1109. doi: 10.1007/s40279-016-0483-3

Lane, K.N., & Wenger, H.A. (2004). Effect of selected recovery conditions on performance of repeated bouts of intermittent cycling separated by 24 hours. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 18(4), 855-869. doi: 10.1519/14183.1

Messer, J. (2013, August 3). Endurance training: current science and application to program design. Retrieved from: https://coachjayjohnson.com/should-you-take-an-ice-bath/

Yamane, M., Teruya, H., Nakano, M., Ogai, R., Ohnishi, N., & Kosaka, M. (2006). Post-exercise leg and forearm flexor muscle cooling in humans attenuates endurance and resistance training effect of muscle performance and on circulatory adaptation. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 96(5), 572-580. doi: 10.1007/s00421-005-0095-3