Effects of Cold Showers on the Heart Rate and Oxygen Uptake of Trained Runners

Ten male subjects in training for endurance running repeated two 60% and two 90% maximal effort runs on a treadmill; one time with and another without a 5-min. cold shower between runs. The cold shower had no significant effect on the energy cost, oxygen debt, or rates of recovery of the ventilation or oxygen uptake. Only the heart rate for the 60% effort with the shower resulted in lower heart rate levels during the second exercise and recovery. It is suggested that the skin temperature or body heat content effects the response of the heart rate to cold but that the energetics of running or the efficiency are not affected by cold showers.