Cold Water Immersion's Role in Enhancing Recovery Speed in Female Soccer Players After Matches: A Study of Physical Performance and Molecular Responses

Soccer requires athletes to demonstrate high levels of endurance and physical strength, making them prone to fatigue and inflammation-related issues post-match. Biomarkers such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and creatine kinase (CK) often increase following intense activity, potentially impairing performance. Cold water immersion (CWI) is a recovery modality believed to mitigate these effects. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of CWI in enhancing post-match recovery in female soccer players by analyzing changes in IL-6, CK levels, and vertical jump performance. A quasi-experimental, two-group pretest-posttest design was employed involving 20 female soccer athletes, divided into CWI and thermoneutral water immersion (TWI) groups. Blood samples were collected pre-match, immediately post-match, and at 24 and 48 hours post-match to measure IL-6 and CK levels using ELISA. Physical performance was assessed using a vertical jump test. CWI showed a greater reduction in IL-6 and CK levels at both 24 and 48 hours post-match compared to TWI (p < 0.05). Vertical jump performance in the CWI group recovered more rapidly, with significant improvement observed at 24 hours (p < 0.05) compared to TWI. At 48 hours, both groups showed no significant differences in jump performance. Cold water immersion significantly enhanced recovery in female soccer athletes after a match by reducing inflammatory and muscle damage biomarkers and improving functional performance. These findings support the use of CWI as an effective recovery strategy in competitive sports.