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

Background/Objectives: 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. Methods: 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 (n = 9), lower-body CWI treatment group (n = 9), and control treatment group (n = 9). Results: MVIC did not show a significant interaction effect between group and time but demonstrated a significant main effect for time (p = 0.001). The pain scale demonstrated a significant interaction effect between group and treatment (p = 0.049), in addition to significant main effects for both time and treatment (both p = 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 (p = 0.001). Blood lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentration showed both a significant interaction effect between group and time (p = 0.02) and a significant main effect for time (p = 0.001). The tensiomyography (TMG) results for Dm showed a significant interaction effect between group and treatment (p = 0.047), as well as a significant main effect for time (p = 0.001). Conclusions: 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.