Athletes often plunge into cold water to assist recovery after exercise, but there is little research available to explain how the technique works.
PhD student Llion Roberts from the at The University of Queensland is leading a series of studies into the short and long-term physiological responses on the impact of cold water immersion therapy after resistance exercise.
鈥淲e have shown that just 10 minutes of immersion at 10 degrees Celsius significantly affects blood gas characteristics and reduces inflammation markers after high-intensity resistance training,鈥� said Mr Roberts.
鈥淭hese findings indicate that cold water significantly affects the physiological response within the body, which can lead to effects on exercise performance,鈥� he said.
鈥淐old water immersion is also of benefit in decreasing fatigue and maintaining performance during subsequent resistance exercise.鈥�
The research is also investigating acute and chronic effects of cold water immersion on performance, as well as on cellular and molecular responses within skeletal muscle.
鈥淭here are limited evidence-based guidelines for the use of cold water immersion,鈥� Mr Roberts said. 鈥淚 hope my research will contribute to the development of enhanced athlete recovery and training strategies.
鈥淓nhancing the recovery process will ultimately allow us to maximise training-induced results, and may also assist with athlete resilience to injury.
鈥淎 one per cent improvement in an athlete鈥檚 performance can make all the difference in competition, so understanding the physiological responses to cold water immersion therapy and the best way to incorporate it into performance and training may be a fantastic breakthrough for many athletes.鈥�
The Queensland Academy of Sport鈥檚 , and are funding the studies.
Contact: Janelle Hocking, Marketing and Communications, 国产探花 School of Human Movement Studies, +61 7 3365 6764
