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. 2012 Feb 15;2012(2):CD008262. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008262.pub2

Comparison 3. Cold‐water immersion (CWI) versus warm‐water immersion (WWI).

Outcome or subgroup title No. of studies No. of participants Statistical method Effect size
1 Pain (muscle soreness: 10 point or 10 or 12 cm VAS) 3   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) Subtotals only
1.1 Immediate 1 23 Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) ‐0.5 [‐2.09, 1.09]
1.2 24 hours 3 64 Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) ‐0.33 [‐1.40, 0.73]
1.3 48 hours 2 51 Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.52 [‐0.94, 1.99]
1.4 72 hours 2 51 Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) ‐0.40 [‐1.83, 1.03]
1.5 96 hours 1 28 Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) ‐4.64 [‐7.72, ‐1.56]
2 Subjective recovery 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) Totals not selected
2.1 Fatigue (24 hours post intervention) 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
3 Subjective recovery (Intervention associated with NO benefit for recovery) 1   Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) Totals not selected
3.1 24 hours 1   Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
4 Strength 2   Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) Subtotals only
4.1 Immediate 1 23 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.42 [‐0.41, 1.25]
4.2 24 hours 2 51 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.28 [‐0.27, 0.84]
4.3 48 hours 2 51 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.30 [‐0.27, 0.86]
4.4 72 hours 2 51 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.20 [‐0.36, 0.75]
4.5 96 hours 1 28 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) ‐0.16 [‐0.90, 0.58]
5 Power 2   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) Totals not selected
5.1 Immediate 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
5.2 24 hours 2   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
5.3 48 hours 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
5.4 72 hours 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
6 Functional performance 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) Totals not selected
6.1 Multisprint time at 24 hours (seconds) 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
7 Range of movement (ROM) 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) Totals not selected
7.1 24 hours 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
7.2 48 hours 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
7.3 72 hours 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
7.4 96 hours 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
8 Swelling 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) Totals not selected
8.1 Immediate 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
8.2 24 hours 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
8.3 48 hours 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
8.4 72 hours 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
9 Biomarker: creatine kinase (U/L) 2   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) Subtotals only
9.1 Immediate 1 23 Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) ‐66.0 [‐328.29, 196.29]
9.2 24 hours 2 36 Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) ‐65.27 [‐236.38, 105.84]
9.3 48 hours 1 23 Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) ‐14.0 [‐210.29, 182.29]
9.4 72 hours 1 23 Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 53.0 [‐143.97, 249.97]
10 Biomarker: lactate dehydrogenase (U/L) 2   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) Totals not selected
10.1 Immediate 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
10.2 24 hours 2   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
10.3 48 hours 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
10.4 72 hours 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
11 Biomarker: myoglobin (ng/mL) 2   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) Subtotals only
11.1 Immediate 1 23 Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) ‐4.40 [‐35.63, 26.83]
11.2 24 hours 2 36 Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.16 [‐17.14, 19.46]
12 Biomarker: interleukin‐6 (pg/ml) 2   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) Subtotals only
12.1 Immediate 1 23 Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 2.2 [‐1.72, 6.12]
12.2 24 hours 2 36 Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.07 [‐0.90, 1.03]
13 Biomarker: interleukin‐10 (pg/ml) 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) Totals not selected
13.1 24 hours 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
14 Biomarker: interleukin‐1b (pg/ml) 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) Totals not selected
14.1 24 hours 1   Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.0 [0.0, 0.0]