Korean J Sports Med.  2021 Dec;39(4):170-180. 10.5763/kjsm.2021.39.4.170.

The Effect of Cold Water Immersion on Physiological Indices, Inflammatory and Immune Responses during a Soccer Match

• Park S
• Hur S
• An K
• Kwon Y
• Park K
• Kim J
• Lee J

• KMID: 2523232
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5763/kjsm.2021.39.4.170

Abstract

Purpose
We investigated the effects of cold water immersion (CWI) treatment during half-time break on performance related physiological indices during second half soccer match.
Methods
Twenty-two collegiate soccer players participated in the study. Subjects undertook 3 minutes head out seated with whole body immersion at 19 o C to 21 o C. Total four venous blood samples were collected and analyzed for markers of ionic regulations and inflammatory (interleukin [IL]-1b, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α , and vascular endothelial growth factor) and immune functions (immunoglobulin [Ig] G, IgG2, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgA, and IgM).
Results
Partial oxygen concentration and %SO 2 level was lowered in CWI. Hemoglobin and hematocrit values were not significantly different between experimental groups. While there was no notable effect was shown in Na ^＋ and Ca 2^＋ , K ^＋ concentration was higher in CWI during second half match. There were no effects in any of inflammatory and/or anti-inflammatory cytokines and Ig.
Conclusion
These results suggest that CWI during half time break exert positively affects in buffering capacity and promote oxygen delivery to the actively recruited skeletal muscle, possibly results in improve soccer performance during second half match.

Keyword

Body temperature; Athletic performance; Inflammation; Immunity

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Experimental design. 0-min: before soccer match was kicked off, P45-min: immediately after the end of the first half during soccer match, half time: 15-minute break time between the first half and the second half during soccer match, P90-min: immediately after the end of the second half during soccer match. ★: Blood sampling.

• 

  Fig. 2 Changes in (A) body mass, (B) body temperature, (C) mean heart rate (the first and second half of Con vs. CWI), (D) maximum heart rate, (E) total heart rate, (F) total distance covered, (G) cumulative distance, and (H) sectional distance following CWI and Con. (A, B) Significant difference to 0-min (main effect of time, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001), to P45-min (†††p<0.001), and to P90-min (‡‡‡p<0.001). Significantly different from Con (main effect of group, §p<0.05, §§p<0.01, §§§p<0.001). (C, D) Significant difference to the first-half 15-min (*p<0.05). (H) Significant difference to 0–15 min (*p<0.05), ∼60 min (‡p<0.01). Values are presented as mean (standard deviation). Con: control group, CWI: cold water immersion group, 0-min: before soccer match was kicked off, P45-min: immediately after the end of the first half during soccer match, half time: 15-minute break time between the first half and the second half during soccer match, P90-min: immediately after the end of the second half during soccer match.

• 

  Fig. 3 Changes in (A) pH, (B) HCO3–, (C) PO2, (D) PCO2, (E) oxygen saturation, (F) hematocrit (Hct), (G) hemoglobin (Hb), (H) glucose, (I) lactate, (J) sodium, (K) potassium, (L) calcium concentration following CWI and Con. Significant difference to 0-min (main effect of time, *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001), P45-min (†p<0.05, ††p<0.01, †††p<0.001), P90-min (‡p<0.05, ‡‡p<0.01, ‡‡‡p<0.001). Significant difference from Con (main effect of group, §p<0.05, §§p<0.01, §§§p<0.001). Significant difference to P45-min and P90-min (&&&p<0.001). Values were expressed by means (standard deviation). Con: control group, CWI: cold water immersion group, 0-min: before soccer match was kicked off; P45-min: immediately after the end of the first half during soccer match; half time, 15-minute break time between the first half and the second half during soccer match; P90-min, immediately after the end of the second half during soccer match.

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