Water immersion: does it enhance recovery from exercise?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect that postexercise immersion in water has on subsequent exercise performance.


METHODS
A literary search and review of water-immersion and performance studies was conducted.


RESULTS
Seven articles were examined. In 2, significant benefits to performance were observed. Those 2 articles revealed a small to large effect on jump performance and isometric strength. PRACTICAL APPLICATION AND CONCLUSIONS: It is possible that water immersion might improve recovery from plyometric or muscle-damaging exercise. Such a statement needs to be verified, however, because of the scarcity of research on water immersion as a recovery strategy.
Wilcock
Ian M
IM
Institute of Sport and Recreation Research New Zealand, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
Cronin
John B
JB
Hing
Wayne A
WA
D001642:Bicycling; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D003080:Cold Temperature; D015444:Exercise; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007101:Immersion; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D053580:Muscle Strength; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012420:Running; D013997:Time Factors