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Do cold-water plunges really speed post-workout muscle recovery?

A new study is among the first to look at how women’s muscles rebound from extreme exercise

A young woman soaks in ice water in a metal tub.

Cold water plunges didn’t lead to signs of faster muscle recovery, a study of 30 young women suggests.

Michele Ursi/Getty Images

By Laura Sanders

Post-workout cold plunges may be having a moment, but a new study dunks on the practice. After a tough workout, muscle recovery was no better in women who immersed themselves in chilly water than in women who didn’t.