The Effects of Cold-Water Immersion, Hot-Water Immersion, and Contrast Bath Therapy on Next-Day Sprint Performance in Division I Collegiate Swimmers Brief Review

Abstract

Competitive Division I collegiate swimmers are routinely exposed to repeated high-intensity sprint efforts with limited recovery time, particularly during multi-day competitions involving preliminary and final races. These demands place substantial stress on neuromuscular, metabolic, and inflammatory systems, making effective recovery strategies essential for maintaining next-day sprint performance. Water immersion modalities such as cold-water immersion (CWI), hot-water immersion (HWI), and contrast bath therapy (CBT) are widely used in athletic settings; however, their effectiveness in enhancing subsequent sprint performance in collegiate swimmers remains unclear.

This review examines and compares the physiological, perceptual, and performance-related effects of CWI, HWI, and CBT on next-day recovery, with a specific focus on sprint-based performance outcomes relevant to Division I collegiate swimmers. Studies were evaluated with respect to participant characteristics, immersion protocols, and physiological and performance outcomes. Evidence indicates that CWI is the most consistently supported modality for attenuating muscle soreness, inflammation, and neuromuscular fatigue, particularly when applied immediately post-exercise at water temperatures between 10-15°C for durations of at least 14 minutes. CBT appears to offer reliable perceptual and physiological benefits, including reduced perceived fatigue and improved circulatory responses, though direct improvements in next-day sprint performance remain inconsistent across the literature. In contrast, HWI generally produces subjective comfort and acute vascular responses but demonstrates limited efficacy for enhancing performance-related recovery outcomes when used alone.

Overall, water immersion modalities may support short-term recovery within constrained timeframes, inconsistencies in protocols, populations, and outcome measures limit definitive conclusions regarding their impact on next-day sprint performance in Division I swimmers. Further swimmer-specific, standardized research is needed to establish optimal recovery strategies.