INTRODUCTION: Considerable physical demands are associated with frequent training sessions and matches in elite football and require optimal strategies for recovery. For this purpose, many elite players use immersion in cold (CWI) and/or hot water (HWI) following training and matches. Although shown to enhance recovery parameters, these approaches are physically stressful for the players, involving sweating or shivering, as well as discomfort. At present, little is known about the effects of long-term exposure to post-exercise CWI and HWI. The aim of the current study was to assess thermal adaptations to post-exercise CWI and HWI in elite youth football players during an intervention-period of ten weeks. METHODS: Twenty-five elite male football players (15-20 years old) were assigned randomly to undergo either CWI (10°C for 10 min), HWI (42°C for 20 min) or 6 min sham-laser treatment (placebo; PLA) immediately after training at least twice each week for ten weeks. To compare their thermal adaptation prior to the intervention and after five and ten weeks, each player rated his thermal sensation (TS: 1-9; cold-to-hot), thermal comfort (TC: 1-5, comfortable-to-uncomfortable) and sweating/shivering (SS: 1-7, sweating-to-neutral-to-shivering) during the initial and final minute of CWI, HWI or PLA. RESULTS: After prolonged post-exercise usage, players felt less cold during the first (TS after 5 weeks = 2.8±1.0, after 10 weeks = 2.4±1.1, Pre-intervention = 1.1±0.4, p<0.05) and final minutes of CWI (corresponding values at 10 weeks and Pre-intervention of 3.8±0.7 vs. 2.6±0.5, p<0.05). In addition, players reported reduced shivering during the final minute in CWI (SS at 10 weeks : 4.4±0.5 vs. Pre-intervention: 5.7±0.5, p<0.05). Players subjected to post-exercise HWI reported feeling less comfortable during the final minutes after 5 and 10 weeks compared to pre-intervention (TC:4.1±1.1,4.0±0.6, vs2.4±1.2, p<0.05). Treatment with the PLA modality resulted in no significant changes in any of the parameters examined. CONCLUSION: Exposure of elite youth soccer players to either CWI or HWI following training at least twice a week for 10 weeks resulted in significant changes in their experience of the treatment. More specifically, CWI reduced the sensation of feeling cold and attenuated shivering, while HWI augmented the sensation of discomfort.
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