Ice bath

In sports therapy, an ice bath, or sometimes cold-water immersion, Cold plunge or cold therapy, is a training regimen usually following a period of intense exercise^[1][2] in which a substantial part of a human body is immersed in a bath of ice or ice-water for a limited duration.^[3]

The method is controversial,^[4] with a risk of hypothermia,^[5] with the possibility of shock^[6] leading to sudden death.^[5][7][8] Many athletes have used cold water immersion after an intense exercise workout in the belief that it speeds up bodily recovery; however, the internal physical processes are not well understood and remain elusive.^[9] Evidence supporting cold water immersion as part of an athletic training has been mixed,^[10] with some studies suggesting a mild benefit such as reducing muscle damage and discomfort^[11] and alleviating delayed onset muscle soreness,^[12][13][14] with other studies suggesting that cold water immersion may slow muscle growth and interfere with an overall training regimen.^[15][16][17]