Table 1. Summary of included studies.
| Author(s) | Participant cohort (training status, sex (m:f), number, age) | Exercise intervention | Classificationof the exercise | [CWT duration and temperature]×number | Starting/Finishing | Number of Treatment Sessions and frequency | Total CWT duration | Outcome variables and time of measurement post exercise (h) |
| Dawson et al. [46] | Semi-professional male Australian football players(17∶0); 24.2±2,9 | Australian football game | High intensity | [1min at 12°C]×4[2 min at 45°C]×5 | Hot/Hot | 1 | 14 min | DOMS (15 48)Vertical jump (15 48)6-sec sprint peak power (15 48) |
| Elias et al. [47] | Professional male Australian football players(14∶0); 20.9±3.3 | 60 min Australian football training | High intensity | [1 min at 38°C]×7[1 min at 12°C]×7 | NR | 1 | 14 min | DOMS (1 24 48)CMJ (24 48)Squat Jump (24 48) |
| Elias et al. [57] | Professional male Australian football players(24∶0); 20.9±3.3 | Australian football game | High intensity | [1 min at 38°C]×7[1 min at 12°C]×7 | NR | 1 | 14 min | DOMS (1 24 48)CMJ (24 48)Squat Jump (24 48) |
| French et al. [48] | Physically active males(16∶0); 24.1±3.2 | 6×10 leg extension and flexion +5-sec eccentric | Eccentric | [1 min at 8–10°C]×4[3 min at 37–40°C]×3 | Cold/Cold | 1 | 13 min | DOMS (0 1 24 48)CK (1 24 48)Mb (1 24 48)5RM Squat (48)CMJ (48) |
| Gill et al. [38] | Elite male rugby players(28∶0); 25±3 | Rugby match | High intensity | [1 min at 8–10°C] ×3[2 min at 40–42°C]×3 | NR | 1 | 9 min | CK (0 36 84) |
| Higgins et al. [58] | U20 male rugby players(24∶0); 19.5±0.8 | Simulated rugby game | High intensity | [1 min at 10–12°C]×5[1 min at 38–40°C]×5 | NR | 1 | 10 min | DOMS (1 48 72 96 144)CMJ (1 48 72 96 144) |
| Higgins et al. [59] | U20 male rugby players(24∶0); 19.5±0.8 | Simulated rugby game | High intensity | [1 min at 10–12°C]×5[1 min at 38–40°C]×5 | NR | 1 | 10 min | DOMS (1 24 48)CMJ (1 24 48) |
| Ingram et al. [49] | Males with team sport experience(11∶0); 27.5±6.0 | Simulated team sport: 4×20 min of intermittent running | High intensity | [2 min at 10°C]×3[2 min at 40°C]×3Transfer time 30-sec | NR | 2 (24 h) | 24 min | DOMS (0 24 48)CK (24 48)CRP (24 48)Leg extension (48) |
| King and Duffield [50] | Trained netball females(0∶10); 19.5±1.5 | Simulated netball match: 4×15 min of intermittent sprint exercise circuit | High intensity | [1 min at 9.7°C]×5[2 min at 39.1°C]×5Hot = warm shower | Cold/Hot | 1 | 15 min | DOMS (0 24)CMJ (24) |
| Kinugasa and Kilding [51] | Youth male soccer players(19∶0); 14.3±0.7 | Soccer match | High intensity | [1 min at 12°C]×3[2 min at 38°C]×3Hot = warm shower | Cold/Hot | 1 | 9 min | DOMS (0 24)CMJ (24) |
| Kuligowski et al. [52] | Healthy male and female(28∶28); 21.1±3.0∶20.1±2.1 | 50 eccentric arm extensions | Eccentric | [3 min at 38.9°C]×6[1 min at 12.8°C]×6 | NR | 4 (24 h) | 96 min | DOMS (24 48 72 96)Isometric Elbow Flexion (24 48 72 96) |
| Pournot et al. [53] | Elite male athlete(19∶0); 21.5±5.6 | 20-min intermittent exercise (30-sec drop jump and 30-sec rowing) | High intensity | [1.5 min at 42°C]×5[1.5 min at 10°C]×5 | Cold/Hot | 1 | 15 min | DOMS (24)CK (1 24)LDH (1 24)Isometric leg extension (1 24)CMJ (1 24) |
| Robey et al. [54] | Junior Elite male and female Rowers(4∶2); 18.6±0.6Male and female club rowers(8∶6); 20.2±2.2∶21.1±3.6 | Stair-climbing running | Eccentric | [1 min at 12°C]×5[2 min at 40°C]×5Hot = warm shower | NR | 3 (24 h) | 45 min | DOMS (24 48 72)CK (24 48 72)Isokinetic Leg extension (24 48 72) |
| Stanley et al. [44] | Endurance trained male cyclists (18∶0); 27±7 | 60 min cycling high-intensity interval training | High intensity | [1 min at 14.2°C]×4[2 min at 35.5°C]×3 | Cold/Cold | 1 | 10 min | DOMS |
| Vaile et al. [37] | Recreational male and female athletes(4∶9); 26.2±5.8 | 5×10 eccentric leg press | Eccentric | [1 min at 8–10°C]×5[2 min at 40–42°C]×5 | Cold/Hot | 1 | 15 min | DOMS (0 24 48 72)CK (0 24 48 72)Isometric Squat (0 24 48 72)Squat jump (0 24 48 72) |
| Vaile et al. [35] | Strength trained males(38∶0); NR | 5×10 eccentric leg press | Eccentric | [1 min at 15°C]×7[1 min at 38°C]×7 | NR | 4 (24 h) | 56 min | DOMS (24 48 72)CK (0 24 48 72)LDH (24 48 72)Mb (24)IL6 (24)Isometric Leg Extension (24 48 72)Squat Jump (24 48 72) |
| Versey et al. [55] | Trained male cyclists(11∶0); 32.1±7.6 | 75 min simulated cycling race | High intensity | [1 min at 14.6°C]×3/6/9[1 min at 38.4°C]×3/6/9 | Cold/Hot | 1 | 6 min12 min18 min | DOMS (2)Peak power (2) |
| Versey et al. [56] | Trained male runners(10∶0); 36.8±9.2 | 3×100 m +3000 m TT +8×400 m | High intensity | [1 min at 14.6°C]×3/6/9[1 min at 38.4°C]×3/6/9 | Cold/Hot | 1 | 6 min12 min18 min | DOMS (0.5 0.75 1 1.5) |
Values are means ± SD. CK, creatine kinase. CWT, contrast water therapy. CMJ, counter movement jump. DOMS, delayed onset of muscle soreness. RSA, repeated sprint ability. TT, time trial. LDH, lactate dehydrogenase. IL, interleukin. NR, not reported. Mb, myoglobin.