La hidroterapia y sus efectos sobre el dolor muscular tardío en deportistas: una revisión sistemática (Hydroterapy and its effects on delayed onset muscle soreness in athletes: a systematic review)

• Published in: Retos Vol. 46; p. 733
• Main Authors: Domínguez-Gavia, Nayro Isaac, Candia-Luján, Ramón, Lidia Guillermina De León Fierro, Ortiz-Rodríguez, Briseidy, Carrasco-Legleu, Claudia Esther
• Format: Book Review
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: Madrid Federación Española de Docentes de Educación Física (FEADEF) 01.01.2022
• Subjects: Hydrotherapy; Massage; Systematic review; Water
• ISSN: 1579-1726; 1988-2041
• DOI: 10.47197/retos.v46.93960

Introduction: Currently, hydroterapy has gained a great importance as a viable option for the treatment of delayed onset muscle soreness in athletes, having various protocols to be carried out as a recovery method, being the immersion in cold water with a temperature of 10ºC and an approximate time of 10 minutes the most used due to the physiological and metabolic processes that water has on the body. Aim: To determine the effect of hydrotherapy on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in athletes. Methodology: A systematic review of randomized studies was carried out between the moths of february and march 2022, for which the Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Pedro, Ebsco and Google Scholar databases were searched. The terms “delayed onset muscle soreness” AND “hydrotherapy” OR “water immersion” OR “water therapy” were used. Results: A total of 457 studies were identified, of which only 18 met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Cold water immersion therapy (CWI) was used as treatment for delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in all studies and compared with some other recovery method. Recovery in cold water was better than passive recovery and contrast water therapy. Conclusion: Hydroterapy is an effective strategy as a recovery method and treatment for the reduction of DOMS in participants of different sports disciplines.