Physiological Responses to Cold Water Immersion Following Cycling in the Heat

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shona L. Halson ◽  
Marc J. Quod ◽  
David T. Martin ◽  
Andrew S. Gardner ◽  
Tammie R. Ebert ◽  
...  

Cold water immersion (CWI) has become a popular means of enhancing recovery from various forms of exercise. However, there is minimal scientific information on the physiological effects of CWI following cycling in the heat.Purpose:To examine the safety and acute thermoregulatory, cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, and inflammatory responses to CWI following cycling in the heat.Methods:Eleven male endurance trained cyclists completed two simulated ~40-min time trials at 34.3 ± 1.1°C. All subjects completed both a CWI trial (11.5°C for 60 s repeated three times) and a control condition (CONT; passive recovery in 24.2 ± 1.8°C) in a randomized cross-over design. Capillary blood samples were assayed for lactate, glucose, pH, and blood gases. Venous blood samples were assayed for catecholamines, cortisol, testosterone, creatine kinase, C-reactive protein, IL-6, and IGF-1 on 7 of the 11 subjects. Heart rate (HR), rectal (Tre), and skin temperatures (Tsk) were measured throughout recovery.Results:CWI elicited a significantly lower HR (CWI: Δ116 ± 9 bpm vs. CONT: Δ106 ± 4 bpm; P = .02), Tre (CWI: Δ1.99 ± 0.50°C vs. CONT: Δ1.49 ± 0.50°C; P = .01) and Tsk. However, all other measures were not significantly different between conditions. All participants subjectively reported enhanced sensations of recovery following CWI.Conclusion:CWI did not result in hypothermia and can be considered safe following high intensity cycling in the heat, using the above protocol. CWI significantly reduced heart rate and core temperature; however, all other metabolic and endocrine markers were not affected by CWI.

2011 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 610-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. V. Fraser ◽  
D. F. Peacher ◽  
J. J. Freiberger ◽  
M. J. Natoli ◽  
E. A. Schinazi ◽  
...  

Hyperoxia has been shown to attenuate the increase in pulmonary artery (PA) pressure associated with immersed exercise in thermoneutral water, which could serve as a possible preventive strategy for the development of immersion pulmonary edema (IPE). We tested the hypothesis that the same is true during exercise in cold water. Six healthy volunteers instrumented with arterial and PA catheters were studied during two 16-min exercise trials during prone immersion in cold water (19.9–20.9°C) in normoxia [0.21 atmospheres absolute (ATA)] and hyperoxia (1.75 ATA) at 4.7 ATA. Heart rate (HR), Fick cardiac output (CO), mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP), central venous pressure (CVP), arterial and venous blood gases, and ventilatory parameters were measured both early (E, 5–6 min) and late (L, 15–16 min) in exercise. During exercise at an average oxygen consumption rate (V̇o2) of 2.38 ml·kg−1·min−1, CO, CVP, and pulmonary vascular resistance were not affected by inspired Po2or exercise duration. Minute ventilation (V̇e), alveolar ventilation (V̇a), and ventilation frequency ( f) were significantly lower in hyperoxia compared with normoxia (mean ± SD: V̇e 58.8 ± 8.0 vs. 65.1 ± 9.2, P = 0.003; V̇a 40.2 ± 5.4 vs. 44.2 ± 9.0, P = 0.01; f 25.4 ± 5.4 vs. 27.2 ± 4.2, P = 0.04). Mixed venous pH was lower in hyperoxia compared with normoxia (7.17 ± 0.07 vs. 7.20 ± 0.07), and this result was significant early in exercise ( P = 0.002). There was no difference in mean PAP (MPAP: 28.28 ± 8.1 and 29.09 ± 14.3 mmHg) or PAWP (18.0 ± 7.6 and 18.7 ± 8.7 mmHg) between normoxia and hyperoxia, respectively. PAWP decreased from early to late exercise in hyperoxia ( P = 0.002). These results suggest that the increase in pulmonary vascular pressures associated with cold water immersion is not attenuated with hyperoxia.


2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 252-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cory L. Butts ◽  
Brendon P. McDermott ◽  
Brian J. Buening ◽  
Jeffrey A. Bonacci ◽  
Matthew S. Ganio ◽  
...  

Exercise conducted in hot, humid environments increases the risk for exertional heat stroke (EHS). The current recommended treatment of EHS is cold-water immersion; however, limitations may require the use of alternative resources such as a cold shower (CS) or dousing with a hose to cool EHS patients.Context: To investigate the cooling effectiveness of a CS after exercise-induced hyperthermia.Objective: Randomized, crossover controlled study.Design: Environmental chamber (temperature = 33.4°C ± 2.1°C; relative humidity = 27.1% ± 1.4%).Setting: Seventeen participants (10 male, 7 female; height = 1.75 ± 0.07 m, body mass = 70.4 ± 8.7 kg, body surface area = 1.85 ± 0.13 m2, age range = 19–35 years) volunteered.Patients or Other Participants: On 2 occasions, participants completed matched-intensity volitional exercise on an ergometer or treadmill to elevate rectal temperature to ≥39°C or until participant fatigue prevented continuation (reaching at least 38.5°C). They were then either treated with a CS (20.8°C ± 0.80°C) or seated in the chamber (control [CON] condition) for 15 minutes.Intervention(s): Rectal temperature, calculated cooling rate, heart rate, and perceptual measures (thermal sensation and perceived muscle pain).Main Outcome Measure(s): The rectal temperature (P = .98), heart rate (P = .85), thermal sensation (P = .69), and muscle pain (P = .31) were not different during exercise for the CS and CON trials (P > .05). Overall, the cooling rate was faster during CS (0.07°C/min ± 0.03°C/min) than during CON (0.04°C/min ± 0.03°C/min; t16 = 2.77, P = .01). Heart-rate changes were greater during CS (45 ± 20 beats per minute) compared with CON (27 ± 10 beats per minute; t16 = 3.32, P = .004). Thermal sensation was reduced to a greater extent with CS than with CON (F3,45 = 41.12, P < .001).Results: Although the CS facilitated cooling rates faster than no treatment, clinicians should continue to advocate for accepted cooling modalities and use CS only if no other validated means of cooling are available.Conclusions:


2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. e3
Author(s):  
Aline Castilho de Almeida ◽  
Aryane Flauzino Machado ◽  
Lara Madeiral Netto ◽  
Luiz Carlos Marques Vanderlei ◽  
Jayme Netto ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (11) ◽  
pp. 946-951 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine E. Luhring ◽  
Cory L. Butts ◽  
Cody R. Smith ◽  
Jeffrey A. Bonacci ◽  
Ramon C. Ylanan ◽  
...  

Context: Recommended treatment for exertional heat stroke includes whole-body cold-water immersion (CWI). However, remote locations or monetary or spatial restrictions can challenge the feasibility of CWI. Thus, the development of a modified, portable CWI method would allow for optimal treatment of exertional heat stroke in the presence of these challenges. Objective: To determine the cooling rate of modified CWI (tarp-assisted cooling with oscillation [TACO]) after exertional hyperthermia. Design: Randomized, crossover controlled trial. Setting: Environmental chamber (temperature = 33.4°C ± 0.8°C, relative humidity = 55.7% ± 1.9%). Patients or Other Participants: Sixteen volunteers (9 men, 7 women; age = 26 ± 4.7 years, height = 1.76 ± 0.09 m, mass = 72.5 ± 9.0 kg, body fat = 20.7% ± 7.1%) with no history of compromised thermoregulation. Intervention(s): Participants completed volitional exercise (cycling or treadmill) until they demonstrated a rectal temperature (Tre) ≥39.0°C. After exercise, participants transitioned to a semirecumbent position on a tarp until either Tre reached 38.1°C or 15 minutes had elapsed during the control (no immersion [CON]) or TACO (immersion in 151 L of 2.1°C ± 0.8°C water) treatment. Main Outcome Measure(s): The Tre, heart rate, and blood pressure (reported as mean arterial pressure) were assessed precooling and postcooling. Statistical analyses included repeated-measures analysis of variance with appropriate post hoc t tests and Bonferroni correction. Results: Before cooling, the Tre was not different between conditions (CON: 39.27°C ± 0.26°C, TACO: 39.30°C ± 0.39°C; P = .62; effect size = −0.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.2, 0.1). At postcooling, the Tre was decreased in the TACO (38.10°C ± 0.16°C) compared with the CON condition (38.74°C ± 0.38°C; P < .001; effect size = 2.27; 95% CI = 0.4, 0.9). The rate of cooling was greater during the TACO (0.14 ± 0.06°C/min) than the CON treatment (0.04°C/min ± 0.02°C/min; t15 = −8.84; P < .001; effect size = 2.21; 95% CI = −0.13, −0.08). These differences occurred despite an insignificant increase in fluid consumption during exercise preceding CON (0.26 ± 0.29 L) versus TACO (0.19 ± 0.26 L; t12 = 1.73; P = .11; effect size = 0.48; 95% CI = −0.02, 0.14) treatment. Decreases in heart rate did not differ between the TACO and CON conditions (t15 = −1.81; P = .09; effect size = 0.45; 95% CI = −22, 2). Mean arterial pressure was greater at postcooling with TACO (84.2 ± 6.6 mm Hg) than with CON (67.0 ± 9.0 mm Hg; P < .001; effect size = 2.25; 95% CI = 13, 21). Conclusions: The TACO treatment provided faster cooling than did the CON treatment. When location, monetary, or spatial restrictions are present, TACO represents an effective alternative to traditional CWI in the emergency treatment of patients with exertional hyperthermia.


2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (11) ◽  
pp. 1163-1170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Avina McCarthy ◽  
James Mulligan ◽  
Mikel Egaña

A brief cold water immersion between 2 continuous high-intensity exercise bouts improves the performance of the latter compared with passive recovery in the heat. We investigated if this effect is apparent in normothermic conditions (∼19 °C), employing an intermittent high-intensity exercise designed to reflect the work performed at the high-intensity domain in team sports. Fifteen young active men completed 2 exhaustive cycling protocols (Ex1 and Ex2: 12 min at 85% ventilatory threshold (VT) and then an intermittent exercise alternating 30-s at 40% peak power (Ppeak) and 30 s at 90% Ppeak to exhaustion) separated by 15 min of (i) passive rest, (ii) 5-min cold-water immersion at 8 °C, and (iii) 10-min cold-water immersion at 8 °C. Core temperature, heart rate, rates of perceived exertion, and oxygen uptake kinetics were not different during Ex1 among conditions. Time to failure during the intermittent exercise was significantly (P < 0.05) longer during Ex2 following the 5- and 10-min cold-water immersions (7.2 ± 3.5 min and 7.3 ± 3.3 min, respectively) compared with passive rest (5.8 ± 3.1 min). Core temperature, heart rate, and rates of perceived exertion were significantly (P < 0.05) lower during most periods of Ex2 after both cold-water immersions compared with passive rest. The time constant of phase II oxygen uptake response during the 85% VT bout of Ex2 was not different among the 3 conditions. A postexercise, 5- to 10-min cold-water immersion increases subsequent intermittent high-intensity exercise compared with passive rest in normothermia due, at least in part, to reductions in core temperature, circulatory strain, and effort perception.


1988 ◽  
Vol 65 (5) ◽  
pp. 2046-2050 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Martineau ◽  
I. Jacobs

The purpose of the present study was to clarify the importance of skeletal muscle glycogen as a fuel for shivering thermogenesis in humans during cold-water immersion. Fourteen seminude subjects were immersed to the shoulders in 18 degrees C water for 90 min or until rectal temperature (Tre) decreased to 35.5 degrees C. Biopsies from the vastus lateralis muscle and venous blood samples were obtained before and immediately after the immersion. Metabolic rate increased during the immersion to 3.5 +/- 0.3 (SE) times resting values, whereas Tre decreased by 0.9 degrees C to approximately 35.8 degrees C at the end of the immersion. Intramuscular glycogen concentration in the vastus lateralis decreased from 410 +/- 15 to 332 +/- 18 mmol glucose/kg dry muscle, with each subject showing a decrease (P less than 0.001). Plasma volume decreased (P less than 0.001) markedly during the immersion (-24 +/- 1%). After correcting for this decrease, blood lactate and plasma glycerol levels increased by 60 (P less than 0.05) and 38% (P less than 0.01), respectively, whereas plasma glucose levels were reduced by 20% after the immersion (P less than 0.001). The mean expiratory exchange ratio showed a biphasic pattern, increasing initially during the first 30 min of the immersion from 0.80 +/- 0.06 to 0.85 +/- 0.05 (P less than 0.01) and decreasing thereafter toward basal values. The results demonstrate clearly that intramuscular glycogen reserves are used as a metabolic substrate to fuel intensive thermogenic shivering activity of human skeletal muscle.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Chauvineau ◽  
Florane Pasquier ◽  
Vincent Guyot ◽  
Anis Aloulou ◽  
Mathieu Nedelec

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the depth of cold water immersion (CWI) (whole-body with head immersed and partial-body CWI) after high-intensity, intermittent running exercise on sleep architecture and recovery kinetics among well-trained runners.Methods: In a randomized, counterbalanced order, 12 well-trained male endurance runners (V.O2max = 66.0 ± 3.9 ml·min−1·kg−1) performed a simulated trail (≈18:00) on a motorized treadmill followed by CWI (13.3 ± 0.2°C) for 10 min: whole-body immersion including the head (WHOLE; n = 12), partial-body immersion up to the iliac crest (PARTIAL; n = 12), and, finally, an out-of-water control condition (CONT; n = 10). Markers of fatigue and muscle damage—maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), countermovement jump (CMJ), plasma creatine kinase [CK], and subjective ratings—were recorded until 48 h after the simulated trail. After each condition, nocturnal core body temperature (Tcore) was measured, whereas sleep and heart rate variability were assessed using polysomnography.Results: There was a lower Tcore induced by WHOLE than CONT from the end of immersion to 80 min after the start of immersion (p &lt; 0.05). Slow-wave sleep (SWS) proportion was higher (p &lt; 0.05) during the first 180 min of the night in WHOLE compared with PARTIAL. WHOLE and PARTIAL induced a significant (p &lt; 0.05) decrease in arousal for the duration of the night compared with CONT, while only WHOLE decreased limb movements compared with CONT (p &lt; 0.01) for the duration of the night. Heart rate variability analysis showed a significant reduction (p &lt; 0.05) in RMSSD, low frequency (LF), and high frequency (HF) in WHOLE compared with both PARTIAL and CONT during the first sequence of SWS. No differences between conditions were observed for any markers of fatigue and muscle damage (p &gt; 0.05) throughout the 48-h recovery period.Conclusion: WHOLE reduced arousal and limb movement and enhanced SWS proportion during the first part of the night, which may be particularly useful in the athlete's recovery process after exercise. Future studies are, however, required to assess whether such positive sleep outcomes may result in overall recovery optimization.


2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-239
Author(s):  
Tohid Hemmatzade Bedovli ◽  
Maryam Nourshahi ◽  
Rana Fayaz Milani ◽  
Siavash Parvarde

Background: Oxidative stress and inflammation increase after eccentric exercise. Cold-water immersion after exercise is common among athletes to accelerate recovery. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cold-water immersion after eccentric exercise on the oxidative and inflammatory responses in skeletal muscle. Methods: One hundred male Wistar rats (weight 285.11 ± 41.65) were randomly divided into control, eccentric exercise, eccentric exercise + normal water, and eccentric exercise + cold water groups. Half, 24, 48, 72, and 168 hours after eccentric exercise, EDL muscle was removed in sterile conditions. The eccentric exercise involves 90 minutes of interval running on the treadmill at a speed of 16 m/min and a -16-degree slope. Muscle reactive oxygen species (ROS) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels were measured by DCFDA and immunohistochemical staining. Kolmogorov-Smirnov for normality test and repeated measure ANOVA and Tukey’s post-Hoc tests for compare groups were used with a significance level of P≤0.05. Results: After eccentric exercise, ROS and TNF-α levels significantly (P<0.05) increased in the three experimental groups. The peak of ROS increase in the eccentric exercise, eccentric exercise + normal water, and eccentric exercise + cold water groups were recorded significantly (P<0.001) half, 48, and 72 hours after eccentric exercise, respectively. Also, the peak of TNF-α increase was significantly higher in the eccentric exercise and eccentric exercise + normal water groups were at 48 hours and in the eccentric exercise + cold water groups was at 72 hours after eccentric exercise (P<0.001). Conclusion: Immersion in cold water causes an increase and delays the peak of ROS and TNF-α after eccentric exercise, which is probably related to ischemia-reperfusion injury. Therefore, after unaccustomed, eccentric, and damaging exercise, immersion in cold water is not recommended.


2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-37
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Strzelczyk ◽  
Aneta Teległów ◽  
Jakub Marchewka ◽  
Bartłomiej Ptaszek ◽  
Anna Marchewka

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of moderate physical exercise on selected blood parameters in regular winter swimmers who suffer from osteoarthritis. The study covered a period of 6 months, from November to April, and was carried out on 17 women and 22 men. The participants were divided into 4 groups: Female CWI – women who only immersed themselves in cold water, Female CWI + PE – women who exercised in addition to water immersion, Male CWI – men who only immersed themselves in cold water, and Male CWI + PE – men, who exercised in addition to water immersion. Venous blood was collected twice, before and after the exercise program. A statistically significant decrease in fibrinogen, plasma viscosity, T ½ , and AMP was observed in the blood of people who did not take part in the physical exercise program while a significant decrease in cortisol levels was observed in the people who participated in the exercise program in addition to cold water immersion. In terms of rheological parameters, a significant increase in the elongation index (EI) of erythrocytes from shear stress 2.19 Pa in all groups was observed. There were no statistically significant changes in AI in all groups. Physical activity has an influence on the blood parameters of elderly winter swimmers suffering from osteoarthritis.


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