Cold Water Immersion Enhanced Athletes’ Wellness and 10-m Short Sprint Performance 24-h After a Simulated Mixed Martial Arts Combat
Open accessAbstract
Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of Cold Water Immersion (CWI) on the recovery of physical performance, hematological stress markers and perceived wellness (i.e., Hooper scores) following a simulated Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) competition. Method: Participants completed two experimental sessions in a counter-balanced order (CWI or passive recovery for control condition: CON), after a simulated MMAs competition (3×5-min MMA rounds separated by 1-min of passive rest). During CWI, athletes were required to submerge their bodies, except the trunk, neck and head, in the seated position in a temperature-controlled bath (~ 10°C) for 15-min. During CON, athletes were required to be in a seated position for 15-min in same room ambient temperature. Venous blood samples (creatine kinase, cortisol, and testosterone concentrations) were collected at rest (PRE-EX, i.e., before MMAs), immediately following MMAs (POST-EX), immediately following recovery (POST-R) and 24 h post MMAS (POST-24), whilst physical fitness (squat jump, countermovement-jump and 5- and 10-m sprints) and perceptual measures (well-being Hooper index: fatigue, stress, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and sleep) were collected at PRE-EX, POST-R and POST-24, and at PRE-EX and POST-24, respectively. Results: The main results indicate that POST-R sprint (5- and 10-m) performances were ‘likely to very likely’ (d = 0.64 and 0.65) impaired by prior CWI. However, moderate improvements were in 10-m sprint performance were ‘likely’ evident at POST-24 after CWI compared with CON (d = 0.53). Additionally, the use of CWI ‘almost certainly’ resulted in a large overall improvement in Hooper scores (d = 1.93). Specifically, CWI ‘almost certainly’ resulted in improved sleep quality (d = 1.36), stress (d = 1.56) and perceived fatigue (d = 1.51), and ‘likely’ resulted in a moderate decrease in DOMS (d = 0.60). Conclusion: The use of CWI resulted in an enhanced recovery of 10-m sprint performance, as well as improved perceived wellness 24-h following simulated MMA competition.
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Some studies showed evidence of decline in testosterone levels with CWI.
“with some studies showing evidence of decline in levels, raising concerns that CWI may blunt anabolic responses.[23][24][25][26][27][28]”
From A systematic appraisal of emerging alternative therapies in men’s health and wellness (2025) · cites this paper as [23]
The Results report that testosterone rose after simulated combat and returned toward baseline by 24 hours in both conditions, with unclear differences between CWI and control. The Discussion explicitly states that no change in testosterone was observed following CWI, contrary to the attributed decline. The paper does not establish that CWI blunts anabolic responses. (LLM, conf=0.90)
Checked by a reasoning model — may be wrong.
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredHalson et al. demonstrated reduced fatigue (5.3 vs. 6.3), soreness (3.8 vs. 5.0), and enhanced mental recovery (6.7 vs. 6.1) with CWI.
“For example, Halson et al demonstrated reduced fatigue (5.3 vs. 6.3),soreness (3.8 vs. 5.0), and enhanced mental recovery (6.7 vs. 6.1) with CWI.23”
From A systematic appraisal of emerging alternative therapies in men’s health and wellness (2025) · cites this paper as [23]
The Abstract reports improved perceived fatigue and decreased delayed-onset muscle soreness after cold-water immersion, supporting those directions of effect. Our copy does not give the quoted values or report the claimed mental-recovery score. The Discussion identifies the present study as distinct from Halson et al. (2008), so the citing sentence also names the wrong investigators. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSeveral studies reported improved subjective recovery markers with CWI.
“Nevertheless, several studies reported improved subjective recovery markers.23,24,26”
From A systematic appraisal of emerging alternative therapies in men’s health and wellness (2025) · cites this paper as [23]
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Research works printed but not linked: 35
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- Authors
- Tabben, M., Ihsan, M., Ghoul, N., Coquart, J., Chaouachi, A., Chaabene, H., Tourny, C., & Chamari, K.
- Affiliations
- Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital (QA)
- Centre d’études des transformations des activités physiques et sportives (FR)
- Auckland University of Technology (NZ)
- Corresponding author
- Tabben, Montassar
- Venue
- Frontiers in Physiology
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2018-11-01
- Volume
- 9
- Pages
- 1542-1542
- ISSN
- 1664-042X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6221982
- OpenAlex
- W2899152492
- Cited by
- 41
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 3
- FWCI
- 4.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Frontiers in Physiology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- publish.UP (University of Potsdam) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Universität Potsdam (cc-by)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports injuries and prevention
- Keywords
- cold water immersion, mixed martial arts, post-exercise recovery, sprint performance, perceived wellness, Hooper Index, delayed onset muscle soreness, sleep quality, subjective fatigue, perceived stress, creatine kinase, cortisol, testosterone, combat sports, passive recovery, countermovement jump, squat jump, 10 m sprint
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