PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Kylie Louise Sellwood
AU  - Peter Brukner
AU  - David Williams
AU  - Alastair Nicol
AU  - Rana Hinman
TI  - Ice-water immersion and delayed-onset muscle soreness: a randomised controlled trial
AID  - 10.1136/bjsm.2006.033985
DP  - 2007 Jun 01
TA  - British Journal of Sports Medicine
PG  - 392--397
VI  - 41
IP  - 6
4099  - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/41/6/392.short
4100  - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/41/6/392.full
SO  - Br J Sports Med2007 Jun 01; 41
AB  - Objective: To determine if ice-water immersion after eccentric quadriceps exercise minimises the symptoms of delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Design: A prospective randomised double-blind controlled trial was undertaken. 40 untrained volunteers performed an eccentric loading protocol with their non-dominant leg. Interventions: Participants were randomised to three 1-min immersions in either ice water (5±1°C) or tepid water (24°C). Main outcome measures: Pain and tenderness (visual analogue scale), swelling (thigh circumference), function (one-legged hop for distance), maximal isometric strength and serum creatine kinase (CK) recorded at baseline, 24, 48 and 72 h after exercise. Changes in outcome measures over time were compared to determine the effect of group allocation using independent t tests or Mann–Whitney U tests. Results: No significant differences were observed between groups with regard to changes in most pain parameters, tenderness, isometric strength, swelling, hop-for-distance or serum CK over time. There was a significant difference in pain on sit-to-stand at 24 h, with the intervention group demonstrating a greater increase in pain than the control group (median change 8.0 vs 2.0 mm, respectively, p = 0.009). Conclusions: The protocol of ice-water immersion used in this study was ineffectual in minimising markers of DOMS in untrained individuals. This study challenges the wide use of this intervention as a recovery strategy by athletes.