Effects of Whole-Body and Lower-Body Cold-Water Immersion on Exercise-Induced Pain Score, Muscle Damage Indices, and Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contractions

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of cold-water immersion (CWI) post-eccentric muscle contraction exercise on skin temperature, pain score, maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), muscle damage, and muscle mechanical properties. <b>Methods</b>: Twenty-seven male participants (age 20.6 ± 0.6; body mass 69.4 ± 8.1; body fat % 13.7 ± 4.3) were divided into three treatments: whole-body CWI treatment group (<i>n</i> = 9), lower-body CWI treatment group (<i>n</i> = 9), and control treatment group (<i>n</i> = 9). <b>Results</b>: MVIC did not show a significant interaction effect between group and time but demonstrated a significant main effect for time (<i>p</i> = 0.001). The pain scale demonstrated a significant interaction effect between group and treatment (<i>p</i> = 0.049), in addition to significant main effects for both time and treatment (both <i>p</i> = 0.001). While blood creatine kinase (CK) concentration revealed no significant interaction effect between group and time, a significant main effect was observed for time (<i>p</i> = 0.001). Blood lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentration showed both a significant interaction effect between group and time (<i>p</i> = 0.02) and a significant main effect for time (<i>p</i> = 0.001). The tensiomyography (TMG) results for Dm showed a significant interaction effect between group and treatment (<i>p</i> = 0.047), as well as a significant main effect for time (<i>p</i> = 0.001). <b>Conclusions</b>: Lower-body CWI is effective in reducing pain indices and blood LDH levels, a marker of muscle damage. It may serve as an effective method for preventing and minimizing pain and muscle damage, comparable to whole-body CWI.