Comparison between the Effects of Active Recovery in Hot and Cold Water on Muscle Soreness and the Cardiac Response after Resistance Training in Hot and Cold Environments

Recovery may alleviate athletes’ muscle soreness and the vital factors. The present study aimed to compare the effects of active recovery without water along with hot and cold water on vital factors and muscle soreness after resistance training in two different environments.
A total of 36 female students were randomly divided into 3 groups of control, recovery with cold water, and recovery with hot water, with 12 participants in each group. The experimental groups performed a week of resistance training in hot environment (35 to 40° c, 75± 2% humidity) and recovery in cold (10 to 12° c) and warm (40° c) water. Then, they took a rest for the second week. In the third week, they did the trainings in cold environment (5 to 10° c, 60± 2% humidity) and went under recovery in cold and warm water. The control group underwent a week of resistance training in an environment with mild temperature (26± 2° c, 43± 2% humidity) and had the active recovery without water. Muscle soreness, body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate were assessed at different stages.
The results revealed that there was a significant difference between recovery in warm and cold water on muscle soreness and vital factors after performing resistance exercise in cold and heat in stressful environments (P≤ 0.05). Active recovery in cold water causes greater reduction of muscle soreness in periods of 24 and 48 hours after training in cold environments and of blood pressure and heart rate two hours after doing exercise in warm and cold environments.
Swift recovery of vital factors and muscle soreness after resistance trainings in abnormal temperatures could best be achieved by an active recovery with cold water.