Cold-water immersion (cryotherapy) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2012

Cold-water immersion (cryotherapy) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise - The Cochrane Library - Bleakley - Wiley Online Library from LOGIN Enter e-mail address Enter password REMEMBER ME > > > > DATABASE TOOLS DATABASE MENU FIND ARTICLES OTHER RESOURCES Intervention Review You have full text access to this content Cold-water immersion (cryotherapy) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise Chris Bleakley 1,* , Suzanne McDonough 1 , Evie Gardner 2 , G.
Publication History Publication Status: New Published Online: 15 FEB 2012 SEARCH ARTICLE TOOLS Abstract Abstract Background Many strategies are in use with the intention of preventing or minimising delayed onset muscle soreness and fatigue after exercise.
Cold-water immersion, in water temperatures of less than 15°C, is currently one of the most popular interventional strategies used after exercise.
Objectives To determine the effects of cold-water immersion in the management of muscle soreness after exercise.
We also searched the reference lists of articles, handsearched journals and conference proceedings and contacted experts.
In November 2011, we updated the searches of CENTRAL (2011, Issue 4), MEDLINE (up to November Week 3 2011), EMBASE (to 2011 Week 46) and CINAHL (to 28 November 2011) to check for more recent publications.
Selection criteria Randomised and quasi-randomised trials comparing the effect of using cold-water immersion after exercise with: passive intervention (rest/no intervention), contrast immersion, warm-water immersion, active recovery, compression, or a different duration/dosage of cold-water immersion.
Primary outcomes were pain (muscle soreness) or tenderness (pain on palpation), and subjective recovery (return to previous activities without signs or symptoms).
Data collection and analysis Three authors independently evaluated study quality and extracted data.
Some of the data were obtained following author correspondence or extracted from graphs in the trial reports.
The temperature, duration and frequency of cold-water immersion varied between the different trials as did the exercises and settings.