WATER IMMERSION AS A POST-EFFORT RECOVERY FACTOR. A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
The methods of sportsmen's fullest recovery in physical training process are needed due to the intensive load during the competitions. Water immersions have been used by coaches as a recovery agent for a long time. However, the results of the investigations of this phenomenon have been published quite recently. The purpose of this work was to establish a theoretic framework based on these publications. The authors have conducted a thorough bibliographical review in databases PubMed and SportDiscus, using the keywords "Post-exercise recovery", "water immersion", "thermal responses" and "cryotherapy". After analyzing the papers retrieved, 39 papers were obtained, among which 33 are original research works and 6 are reviews. The limiting factor having influenced coming to general conclusions was the absence of standard protocols that didn't allow to compare the results of different studies. However, two conclusions can be drawn. Hot water (> 33 °С) immersion did not prove effective as a post-effort recovering agent whilst a 10-minute cold water (15 °С) immersion for 10 minutes stimulates post-effort recovery. The criteria of evaluation of contrast shower hydrotherapy are quite contradictory.