Study Finds Cold Water Immersion Does Not Accelerate Women's Post-Exercise Recovery

Recent research suggests that cold water plunges may not be effective in speeding up recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage in women. A randomized clinical trial conducted by Vanessa Wellauer and colleagues at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland involved 30 female participants performing a strenuous workout consisting of five sets of 20 drop-jumps from a 0.6-meter-high box. After the exercise, participants were assigned either to no immersion, or to immerse their upper bodies in hot or cold water for ten minutes, twice: immediately after exercise and two hours later.

Throughout the study, physiological measurements revealed some differences among the groups. For example, 30 minutes post-workout, those immersed in cold water showed lower muscle oxygen saturation, and hot water immersion increased core body temperature more than cold immersion. Despite these physiological variations, the main finding was that neither cold nor hot water immersion led to improved recovery markers compared to no immersion.

Researchers assessed recovery through multiple indicators, including muscle swelling, soreness ratings, serum creatine kinase levels, and maximal voluntary muscle contraction, measured up to 72 hours post-exercise. All groups showed similar recovery patterns, indicating that immersion in cold or hot water does not significantly influence muscle recovery outcomes in women.

These findings challenge the common belief that cold water immersion can enhance recovery in women and highlight the need for further research to understand the complex relationship between physiological responses and muscle repair. The authors suggest future studies could focus on exercise routines that mimic real-world workouts and competitions to better evaluate recovery strategies.

Source: [https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-cold-plunges-women-recovery-clinical.html]