The Use of Contrast Therapy in Soft Tissue Injury Management and Post-Exercise Recovery: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: Contrast therapy is the alternation of thermotherapy and cryotherapy. Commonly used modalities of contrast therapy include contrast water therapy (CWT) and cold/hot packs. Despite a lack of research, it is widely used in clinical and sporting settings, particularly to aid recovery.
Objectives: The scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of research surrounding the use of contrast therapy for soft tissue injury management and recovery.
Major Findings: Twenty-nine full text papers were included, following a search of the databases listed: PubMed, Cochrane, SPORTDiscus, EBSCO, CINHAL and MEDLINE (via OVID). The majority of research on contrast therapy focuses on recovery, using contrast water therapy. Despite a consensus for contrast therapy temperatures of 10-15°C (cold) and 38-40°C (hot), significant variation amongst recovery protocols still exists, with temperatures ranging from 8-15°C and 35.5-45°C and duration ranging from 6-31 minutes. Generally, beneficial effects are reported to subjective measures such as self-reported perception of recovery, fatigue and muscle soreness following contrast therapy. However, the evidence is less clear regarding the influence on physiological measures and performance.
Conclusion: Contrast therapy appears to be most commonly used in the form of contrast water therapy for post-exercise recovery purposes. There remains a significant lack of research surrounding the efficacy of contrast therapy for soft tissue injury management and the use of alternative modalities.