Fatigue Recovery and Exercise Performance after Contrast Water Therapy- Meta-analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31489/3081-0531/2025-1-1/57-83Keywords:
contrast water therapy, cold water immersion, fatigue recovery, muscle soreness, ratings of perceived exertion, creatine kinase, lactate, countermovement jump, team sports, recovery strategiesAbstract
Fatigue recovery plays a critical role in athletic performance. Contrast Water Therapy (CWT) has been widely
applied, but its effectiveness remains controversial across different exercise types. Methods applied in the
study: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and Elsevier
databases. Seventeen trials involving 368 participants were included. Two researchers independently screened
and extracted data, including subjective indicators (DOMS, RPE) and objective markers (CMJ, sprint, CK,
lactate, CRP, IL-6). Results: Meta-analysis showed that CWT significantly alleviated DOMS and RPE, particularly
after team-based sports like football. CWT was also effective in reducing lactate levels immediately
post-exercise. However, no significant improvements were found in CMJ or sprint performance for most
sports. Cold Water Immersion (CWI) showed superior results in reducing CK and lactate at 24–48h postexercise
compared to CWT. Discussion: CWT can reduce perceived muscle soreness and fatigue, especially
in team sports, though its impact on objective performance is limited. CWI may be more effective for physiological
recovery. Further studies are needed to explore protocol-specific and sport-specific outcomes.
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