Winter swimming – is it possible to develop adaptation to cold temperature? A literature review
Introduction and purpose Over the years winter swimming has gained popularity, becoming an eagerly practiced form of physical activity. This review aims to examine its influence on the human organism and explore the mechanisms of adaptation developed by winter swimmers. Materials and meth...
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| Format: | Article |
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Kazimierz Wielki University
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Education, Health and Sport |
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| Online Access: | https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/59375 |
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| author | Martyna Brzoza Julia Stawińska-Dudek Barbara Buras Milena Orzeł Bartłomiej Orzeł Ali Aboud Wiktoria Józefowicz Aleksandra Bielecka Bartosz Dubniański Kornelia Stawińśka |
| author_facet | Martyna Brzoza Julia Stawińska-Dudek Barbara Buras Milena Orzeł Bartłomiej Orzeł Ali Aboud Wiktoria Józefowicz Aleksandra Bielecka Bartosz Dubniański Kornelia Stawińśka |
| author_sort | Martyna Brzoza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction and purpose
Over the years winter swimming has gained popularity, becoming an eagerly practiced form of physical activity. This review aims to examine its influence on the human organism and explore the mechanisms of adaptation developed by winter swimmers.
Materials and methods
This work is based on the analysis of the materials obtained from “PubMed” and “Google Scholar” scientific databases using the key words selected based on their relevance to examining the matter in subject, such as: cold adaptation, cold water immersion, ice swimming, hypothermia, winter swimming
The state of knowledge
Investigated studies indicate that winter swimming influences human organism in various aspects, having a completely different impact depending on previous cold-water exposures, health status and individual adaptation. Winter swimmers tend to develop a wide range of compensatory mechanisms including hormonal, metabolic and immunological changes, improved thermoregulation and enhanced antioxidative protection. In contrast, for unadopted individuals cold water immersions may lead to severe complications including hypothermia and even fatal consequences.
Conclusions
Winter swimmers develop mechanisms of cold adaptation that enable them to perform and benefit from such activity. However, proper adjustment, following preventive measures and guidelines such as gradual, regular adaptation, warm-up exercises and being aware of individual health status are vital to minimize detrimental effects that concern especially inexperienced individuals.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c2db8172e60149d8a6044df66dd333fd |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2391-8306 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Kazimierz Wielki University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Education, Health and Sport |
| spelling | doaj-art-c2db8172e60149d8a6044df66dd333fd2025-08-20T01:56:01ZengKazimierz Wielki UniversityJournal of Education, Health and Sport2391-83062025-04-018010.12775/JEHS.2025.80.59375Winter swimming – is it possible to develop adaptation to cold temperature? A literature reviewMartyna Brzoza0https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8975-4462Julia Stawińska-Dudek 1https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1677-3741Barbara Buras 2https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9914-507XMilena Orzeł3https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1303-2778Bartłomiej Orzeł4https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1442-6790Ali Aboud5https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8485-9302Wiktoria Józefowicz6https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7530-1710Aleksandra Bielecka7https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3150-2058Bartosz Dubniański8https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8481-3297Kornelia Stawińśka9https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8128-5076Central Clinical Hospital of the Medical University of LodzOrtho.pl Dental and Orthodontic Centre, Buforowa 34, 52-131 Wroclaw, PolandAmerident Non-public Health Care Institution civil law partnership Maria and Lazarz Legien, Jana Kasprowicza 7, 43-300 Bielsko-Biala, Poland Wroclaw Medical University, Ludwika Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wroclaw, PolandWroclaw Medical University, Ludwika Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wroclaw, PolandMedical Innovation Centre, Krakowska 26, 50-426, Wroclaw, Poland Wroclaw Medical University, Ludwika Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wroclaw, PolandThe Children’s Memorial Health Institute, Dzieci Polskich 20, 04-730 Warsaw, Poland Wroclaw Medical University, Ludwika Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wroclaw, PolandWroclaw Medical University, Krakowska 26, 50-425 Wroclaw, Poland Introduction and purpose Over the years winter swimming has gained popularity, becoming an eagerly practiced form of physical activity. This review aims to examine its influence on the human organism and explore the mechanisms of adaptation developed by winter swimmers. Materials and methods This work is based on the analysis of the materials obtained from “PubMed” and “Google Scholar” scientific databases using the key words selected based on their relevance to examining the matter in subject, such as: cold adaptation, cold water immersion, ice swimming, hypothermia, winter swimming The state of knowledge Investigated studies indicate that winter swimming influences human organism in various aspects, having a completely different impact depending on previous cold-water exposures, health status and individual adaptation. Winter swimmers tend to develop a wide range of compensatory mechanisms including hormonal, metabolic and immunological changes, improved thermoregulation and enhanced antioxidative protection. In contrast, for unadopted individuals cold water immersions may lead to severe complications including hypothermia and even fatal consequences. Conclusions Winter swimmers develop mechanisms of cold adaptation that enable them to perform and benefit from such activity. However, proper adjustment, following preventive measures and guidelines such as gradual, regular adaptation, warm-up exercises and being aware of individual health status are vital to minimize detrimental effects that concern especially inexperienced individuals. https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/59375cold adaptationcold water immersionice swimminghypothermiawinter swimming |
| spellingShingle | Martyna Brzoza Julia Stawińska-Dudek Barbara Buras Milena Orzeł Bartłomiej Orzeł Ali Aboud Wiktoria Józefowicz Aleksandra Bielecka Bartosz Dubniański Kornelia Stawińśka Winter swimming – is it possible to develop adaptation to cold temperature? A literature review Journal of Education, Health and Sport cold adaptation cold water immersion ice swimming hypothermia winter swimming |
| title | Winter swimming – is it possible to develop adaptation to cold temperature? A literature review |
| title_full | Winter swimming – is it possible to develop adaptation to cold temperature? A literature review |
| title_fullStr | Winter swimming – is it possible to develop adaptation to cold temperature? A literature review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Winter swimming – is it possible to develop adaptation to cold temperature? A literature review |
| title_short | Winter swimming – is it possible to develop adaptation to cold temperature? A literature review |
| title_sort | winter swimming is it possible to develop adaptation to cold temperature a literature review |
| topic | cold adaptation cold water immersion ice swimming hypothermia winter swimming |
| url | https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/59375 |
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