For years, อุปกรณ์แช่น้ำเย็น have immersed themselves in cold water to relieve pain and soreness. In fact, the practice has been used by ancient cultures several millennia ago and continues to be a popular recovery therapy at health clubs, military institutions, athletic clubs and rehabilitation centers.

From ice bucket challenges to polar plunges, many individuals are embracing the idea of being dunked or doused with cold water. This trend may be more than just a fun way to raise funds for a charity; it also appears to offer some important benefits for the body, including reducing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and helping muscles recover from exercise.

Advanced Cold Water Immersion Equipment for Home and Gym Use

The research in this review was based on the premise that CWI reduces muscle soreness after exercise through a combination of intracellular-intravascular fluid shifts, reduction of muscle oedema and enhanced blood flow to carry waste products and nutrients to the site of injury. CWI also stimulates a psychological response that can enhance performance in subsequent exercises.

CWI can be administered as a single treatment or as part of a series of treatments, and the studies in this review varied in the water temperature and immersion durations employed. The pooled results at immediate follow-up for muscle soreness outcomes based on five different tests of sit to stand, passive stretch, hopping running and isometric contraction indicated that CWI was associated with lower scores than the control group (seeAnalysis 1.12).

For longer term cooling, there are other alternatives, such as tarp-assisted cooling,12 or specially designed water-impervious whole body cooling bags13. However, these are not readily available in EDs and have only been tested as a method of cooling for heat stroke patients during resuscitation.