Effect of Post-Exercise Cold Water Immersion Recovery Protocol on Cardiovascular Adaptations and Exercise Capacity in Athletes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Muscle injuries caused by exercise, including edema, pain, weakness, as well as functional loss of mobility, greatly affect the capacity to carry out subsequent exercise, which in turn reduces physical activity and sports participation. Being a cryotherapy tool, cold-water immersion is one of several post-exercise recovery techniques that have grown in popularity to help in recovery after training and competitions.
Aim of the study: to examine the impact of post exercise cold water immersion on cardiovascular adaptations and exercise capacity in basketball players.
Subjects and Methods:  In total, 60 male basketball players aged from 18–28 years were randomized into two equal groups (n = 30). The experimental group (A) received both cold water immersion and traditional recovery protocols, whereas the control group (B) received traditional recovery protocol only. The protocol was applied three times per week for four consecutive weeks. The dependent variables, namely, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, cardiac enzymes, and exercise capacity were assessed at the beginning and the end of trial.
Results: There was a significant increase in resting O₂, immediate after exercise O₂, Harvard step test score, and Cooper test score, while significant decline was found in resting heart rate (HR) immediate following exercise HR, HR recovery time, resting SBP, immediate after exercise SBP and resting DBP of group A in comparison with that of group B. Conclusion: Cold-water immersion was an effective post-exercise recovery protocol for cardiovascular adaptations, exercise capacity enhancement, and reduce risk of injury in subsequent basketball training and competition.