Cold Plunges and Exercise Recovery: What Meta-Analyses Show
Cold-water immersion has a long history in sport because the question is practical: can getting cold after hard training help you feel or perform better afterward?
Muscle soreness
This is where the evidence is most consistent. A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis of 44 randomized trials concluded that cold-water immersion was better than passive recovery for managing muscle soreness across many of the protocols studied.
A newer 2026 meta-analysis of 52 studies also found meaningful reductions in delayed-onset muscle soreness along with reductions in creatine kinase and myoglobin during recovery.
Performance recovery is more complicated
A systematic review of 68 studies found that cold-water immersion improved some longer-term recovery outcomes, including certain strength and jump measures, while some immediate sprint and jump outcomes were temporarily worse. The effect depended on the type of exercise and when performance was measured.
Colder is not automatically better
Extremely cold water is often treated as a badge of seriousness, but current evidence does not show that the coldest possible exposure produces the best recovery. The 2026 temperature analysis found no statistically significant difference between temperature subgroups for soreness.
A training tradeoff
There is evidence that frequent cold-water immersion immediately after resistance training may blunt some long-term adaptations related to muscle growth and strength. Acute recovery and long-term adaptation are not the same thing.
Practical takeaway
If the goal is short-term recovery after demanding exercise, cold-water immersion has reasonable evidence behind it. If the goal is maximizing resistance-training adaptation, using it automatically after every lifting session may not be ideal.
References
- Batista NP, et al. Muscle soreness systematic review and meta-analysis. 2023.
- Choo HC, et al. The effect of cold water immersion on recovery of physical performance revisited. 2023.
- Jeon Y, Yeo H-S. Temperature-dependent effects on post-exercise recovery. 2026.
This article is educational and is not medical or training advice.