Effectiveness of ice bath therapy after high-intensity exercise in reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and creatine kinase activity in adolescent males

Introduction: Recovery is a vital component of physical activity, serving to restore the body’s physiological equilibrium after intense exertion. However, effective and efficient models of recovery therapy remain underreported in current literature. Objective: This quasi-experimental study aimed to examine the effects of ice bath therapy following high-intensity exercise on markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and creatine kinase (CK) activity in adolescent males. Methodology: Twenty male undergraduate students (n = 20; aged 19–22 years) majoring in Football Coaching at the Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences, Universitas Negeri Surabaya (UNESA), participated in this study. They received ice bath therapy (IBT) after high-intensity exercise for four weeks. IL-6 concentrations were measured using an ELISA Kit, MDA levels with a Colorimetric Assay Kit, and CK activity with an Activity Assay Kit. Paired and independent sample t-tests were used, and Cohen’s d was calculated to determine effect size at a 95% confidence level. Results: Significant reductions were observed in Interleukin-6 (IL-6) by 29.49 %, Malondialdehyde (MDA) by 37.75 %, and CK activity by 84.45 % after intervention in the IBT group (all p ≤ 0.05). Between-group comparisons also revealed significant differences in all three biomarkers (all p ≤ 0.05), with large to very large effect sizes (Cohen’s d > 1.7), indicating a strong impact of the therapy. Conclusions: Ice bath therapy after high-intensity exercise can be an effective therapy model in significantly reducing levels of IL-6, MDA, and CK activity in adolescent males.