The effect of cold-water immersion after eccentric exercise on oxidative and inflammatory responses in skeletal muscle

Background: Oxidative stress and inflammation increase after eccentric exercise. Cold-water immersion after exercise is common among athletes to accelerate recovery. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cold-water immersion after eccentric exercise on the oxidative and inflammatory responses in skeletal muscle.

Methods: One hundred male Wistar rats (weight 285.11 ± 41.65) were randomly divided into control, eccentric exercise, eccentric exercise + normal water, and eccentric exercise + cold water groups. Half, 24, 48, 72, and 168 hours after eccentric exercise, EDL muscle was removed in sterile conditions. The eccentric exercise involves 90 minutes of interval running on the treadmill at a speed of 16 m/min and a -16-degree slope. Muscle reactive oxygen species (ROS) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels were measured by DCFDA and immunohistochemical staining. Kolmogorov-Smirnov for normality test and repeated measure ANOVA and Tukey’s post-Hoc tests for compare groups were used with a significance level of P≤0.05.

Results: After eccentric exercise, ROS and TNF-α levels significantly (P<0.05) increased in the three experimental groups. The peak of ROS increase in the eccentric exercise, eccentric exercise + normal water, and eccentric exercise + cold water groups were recorded significantly (P<0.001) half, 48, and 72 hours after eccentric exercise, respectively. Also, the peak of TNF-α increase was significantly higher in the eccentric exercise and eccentric exercise + normal water groups were at 48 hours and in the eccentric exercise + cold water groups was at 72 hours after eccentric exercise (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Immersion in cold water causes an increase and delays the peak of ROS and TNF-α after eccentric exercise, which is probably related to ischemia-reperfusion injury. Therefore, after unaccustomed, eccentric, and damaging exercise, immersion in cold water is not recommended.