D1.S3.1(1) The use of cooling therapies for post-exercise recovery

Introduction: Cooling therapies are commonly used for post-exercise recovery by recreational and professional athletes. These interventions include (but are not limited to): cold water immersion, ice packs, whole/partial body cryotherapy and phase change material. However, confusion remains within the sports science community around their effectiveness, benefits and risks. The purpose of this expert statement will be to provide evidence-based guidance for athletes, coaches and practitioners on the optimal use of cooling therapies for recovery post exercise.

Background and Evidence: We will formulate the expert statement in the following order:

Prioritise high-quality empirical evidence on cooling therapies, focusing on subjective and objective markers of recovery.

Quantify the benefits and risks associated with commonly used cooling therapies in sport for recovery.

Conclusions and Recommendations: This statement will provide BASES members, and the wider scientific community, with clear guidance on the safe and effective use of cooling therapies for post-exercise recovery. We will summarise our findings using an evidence-based decision tree, to facilitate application and tailoring of cold therapy across key sporting populations and end users.