Effect Of Cold Water Immersion On Skin Temperature

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Cold water immersion (CWI) is a recovery method in sports, acting through a reduction in body temperature and improved muscular function by limiting post-exercise inflammation. Infrared Thermography (IRT) is a non-invasive technique to measure skin temperature, and has been used in the diagnosis of hyperthermic muscles, such as occurs with delayed onset muscular soreness. To our knowledge, there are no studies using IRT to analyze the skin temperature in the recovery process following fatiguing exercise. PURPOSE: To compare the effect of two CWI protocols as a recovery treatment on skin temperature. METHODS: 40 healthy male subjects (age 21.8 ± 2.76 yrs, body mass 73.15 ± 8.15 kg, height 176.6 ± 5.3 cm, and body fat 13.5 ± 3.4%). Subjects went through a fatiguing protocol: 8 sets/30 secs countermovement jumps with 90 second pauses between series. Subjects were randomized in three conditions: control group (CG) (passive recovery, 12 min sitting in a 23 °C room); continuous CWI (CnCWI) (12 min in water at 12 ± 0.4 °C); and intermittent CWI (InCWI) (2 min CWI at 12 ± 0.4 °C, 1 min in a controlled environment at 23°C, until the 12 min of CWI were completed). Maximal lower limb skin temperature (MST) was measured at pre, post24 and post48 hours via IRT camera (FLIR T450). Repeated measures ANOVA were used. Significance was set at p< 0.05. RESULTS: No between group interaction effects were found in the dominant limb in the frontal plane (F(4,74)= 0.89, p= 0.47): post24 (CG: 33.5±1.1°C vs. CnCWI: 33.4±1.4°C, InCWI: 33.7±0.8°C); post48 (CG: 34.2±0.9°C vs. CnCWI: 33.9±0.8°C, InCWI: 33.6±0.8°C), or in the posterior plane (F(4,74)= 0.54, p= 0.70): post24 (CG: 33.3±1.2°C vs. CnCWI: 33.3±0.7°C, InCWI: 33.5±0.9°C); post48 (CG: 33.2±0.8 vs. CnCWI: 33.8±1.9°C, InCWI: 33.5±1°C). Similarly, no between group interactions were observed in the non-dominant limb in the anterior plane (F(4,74)= 0.68, p= 0.64): post24 (CG: 33.4±1.0°C vs. CnCWI: 34±2.1°C, InCWI: 33.6±0.9°C); post48: (CG: 34.1±0.9°C vs. CnCWI: 33.9±1 °C, InCWI: 34.0±1°C), or for the posterior plane (F(4,74)=0.70, p=0.59), post-24 (CG: 33.1±0.9°C vs. CnCWI: 33.2±0.7°C, InCWI: 33.5±1°C); post48 (CG: 33.1±0.9°C vs. CnCWI: 33.3±0.7°C, InCWI: 33.6±1.1°C). CONCLUSIONS: Neither CWI protocol reduced mean or maximal lower limb skin temperature at 24 nor 48 hours post fatiguing protocol.