Is Cold Water or Massage Better for Muscle Soreness After CrossFit?
Cold water immersion wins. In this randomized trial, athletes who used cold water immersion after CrossFit Murph reported zero pain at rest or during exercise by 48 hours. Those who received massage still had some discomfort.
The Murph workout is one of CrossFit’s most demanding challenges. It includes a 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, and another 1-mile run. This brutal workout commonly causes delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Researchers compared two popular recovery methods to see which works better.
Dr. Kumar’s Take
This study gives cold water immersion a clear edge for CrossFit recovery. By 48 hours, the ice bath group had no pain at all while exercising or resting. That’s impressive. But I want to note some limitations. This was a small study of 30 people, and participants knew which treatment they received. The placebo effect could play a role. Still, if you’re doing intense CrossFit workouts and need to recover quickly, cold water immersion looks like the better choice based on this evidence.
Study Design
Researchers recruited 30 participants with at least 6 months of CrossFit experience. All participants completed the full Murph workout. They were then randomly assigned to one of two recovery methods:
Cold Water Immersion (CWI): Participants sat in 8°C water for 20 minutes.
Massage Therapy (MAS): A licensed therapist provided 20 minutes of Swedish massage to the arms, shoulders, legs, and back.
Researchers measured pain using questionnaires, pressure pain testing, and thermal imaging. Measurements were taken before the workout, immediately after recovery, and at 24 and 48 hours.
Key Results
At 48 hours after cold water immersion:
- No participants reported pain at rest
- No participants reported pain during exercise
Massage therapy:
- Some participants still reported discomfort at 48 hours
Both methods provided some relief, but cold water immersion completely eliminated pain reports by the 48-hour mark. This suggests cold water may be more effective for full recovery from high-intensity functional training.
How Cold Water Helps
Cold water immersion works through several mechanisms:
- Vasoconstriction: Cold narrows blood vessels, reducing swelling and inflammation
- Decreased metabolic activity: Cold slows cellular processes that contribute to soreness
- Cold-induced pain relief: The cold itself provides numbing effects that may interrupt pain signaling
Massage works differently, using mechanical pressure to reduce muscle tension and improve circulation. Both can help, but this study suggests cold water may be more effective for the type of muscle damage caused by CrossFit workouts.
Practical Takeaways
- Cold water immersion at 8°C for 20 minutes appears effective for CrossFit recovery
- By 48 hours, cold water users had complete pain relief
- Both massage and cold water help, but cold water showed better results
- This study supports ice baths over massage for functional fitness recovery
- Individual responses may vary
Related Studies and Research
- Related Podcast Episode
- Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water (review)
- Editorial: The trigeminocardiac reflex beyond the diving reflex
- Plasma catecholamines and serotonin metabolites during a winter swimming season (PDF)
- Dose-response style synthesis: duration/temperature “dose” of CWI
FAQs
How cold should the water be for recovery?
This study used water at 8°C (about 46°F). This is cold but tolerable for most people. Colder temperatures may not provide additional benefits.
How long should you stay in cold water after exercise?
Participants in this study stayed in cold water for 20 minutes. This is consistent with other research showing that 10-20 minutes is effective.
Is massage worthless for recovery?
No. Massage still provided benefits in this study. It improved circulation and reduced tension. However, cold water immersion was more effective at eliminating pain by 48 hours.
Can I do both massage and cold water?
Some athletes use both methods. This study compared them separately, so we don’t know if combining them would be better or worse.
Bottom Line
This randomized trial found that cold water immersion was more effective than massage for recovering from CrossFit Murph. Athletes who used 20 minutes of cold water immersion at 8°C reported zero pain by 48 hours, while massage recipients still had some discomfort. For CrossFit athletes looking to minimize muscle soreness and recover quickly, cold water immersion appears to be the better choice. However, the small sample size and non-blinded design mean larger studies would strengthen these findings.
