| Method | T sk | T m | T c | Oxygen use | Blood flow (%Δ from baseline) | HR | Oedema | Applications/conclusions | References | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  | Superficial | Deep | 0 h | Nadir |  | Skin | IM |  |  |  |  |
Ice pack | 0.3–1.8 kg crushed ice | 5°C–7.5°C | 26.58°Ca–27.9°C | 28.21°Ca–31.82°C |  |  |  |  |  |  | ↓46% fair signal intensity | Limited performance or function data may reduce oedema post-eccentric exercise | |
 |  | Δ −25.0°C–30°C | Δ −7.0°C–9.7°C | Δ −4.46°C–8.38°C |  | ||||||||
(20–30 min) | (5–10 min post-cool) | (10–15 min post-cool) | |||||||||||
Cold pack application (no phase change) | 0°C–10°C for 20–30 min | 7.9°C–22.5°C | 15°C–24.8°C |  |  |  |  |  | ↓20%–40% |  | ↓0.822% ∆ in MRI T2 values | No performance data | |
Δ −12°C–23°C | Δ −9.7°C–18°C | ||||||||||||
(20–30 min) | (20 min) | ||||||||||||
CWI partial immersion | 0°C–12°C for 3–15 min | 11°C–15.1°C | 20°Ca–30.4°C | 33.3°Ca–34.0°C | 37.12°C | 37.11°Ca |  | ↓24% (20 min post-cool) | ↓30%–40% (30 min post-cool) | ↑5–10 bpm (1st minute of cooling) | ↓2.5% ∆ in MRI T2 value (48 h) | Post-eccentric—equivocal | |
Δ −14.5°C–20°C | Δ −13.6°C–15.0°C | Δ −2.0°C–4.3°C | Δ −0.11°C | Δ −0.23°C | Post-high-intensity interval—somewhat beneficial |  | |||||||
(2–10 min) | (5–30 min post-cool) | (5–60 min post-cool) | (0 h) | (30 min post-cool) | Lacking performance studies that measure temperature or mechanisms |  | |||||||
CWI partial immersion | 12°C–21°C for 3–60 min | 17°C–26°C | 32.2°Ca | 34.3°Ca–34.5°C | 36.3°C–37.6°C | 36.2°Ca–37.3°C |  |  |  |  |  | Post-eccentric—equivocal | |
Δ −7°C–17.2°C | Δ not recorded | Δ −1.6°C–1.8°C | Δ −0.01–6°C | Δ −0.1–0.4°C |  |  |  |  |  | Post-high-intensity interval—somewhat beneficial |  | ||
(3–60 min) | (30 min post-cool) | (30–60 min post-cool) | (0 h) | (30 min post-cool) | ↓2.5 tissue oxygenation index (12 min) |  | ↓20 (15 min) |  |  | Lacking performance studies that measure temperature or mechanisms |  | ||
CWI head-out immersion | 14–15°C for 14–20 min |  |  | 32.3°Ca | 34.7°C–37.7°C | 36.0°Ca–36.8°C |  |  | ↓76% from post-exercise | ↓12 pm (post-cool vs. active recovery) | ↓0.70025 mid-thigh girth | Maintains or improves performance in bouts of exhaustive exercise (i.e. cycling time trial or sprint) that are within hours, when used as a between bout recovery | |
Δ −5.9°C | Δ −0.9°C–1.3°C | Δ −1.8°C–2.0°C |  |  | Not studied following eccentric or high-intensity interval exercise | ||||||||
(35 min post-cool) | (0 h) | (15–30 min post-cool) |  |  | |||||||||
Whole body cryotherapy | −110°C for 3–4 min | 17.0 |  | 34.5°Ca | 37.8°C–37.9°C | 37.2°Ca–37.5°C |  |  |  |  |  | No performance differences reported | |
Δ −13.2°C | Δ −1.6°C | Δ −0.3°C–0.07°C | Δ −0.25°C–0.3°C | ||||||||||
(0–1 min) | (60 min post-cool) | (0 h) | (3–8 min post-cool) | Reductions in inflammatory markers have been shown |