Research summary · Training and performance
Water-based training as an athletic training supplement
A meta-analysis combined 13 controlled studies with 392 trained competitors to examine performance and recovery outcomes after water-based exercise.
- Publication year
- 2026
- First published online
- Publication type
- Meta-analysis of controlled intervention studies
- Journal
- Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
- Population / context
- Competitive athletes · Multiple sports
What the publication reports
Pooled estimates favoured explosive power, speed and agility, with a smaller positive recovery signal. Strength, balance and aerobic-capacity findings were not statistically clear; aerobic-capacity estimates were particularly heterogeneous.
Limits and interpretation
The search used only two databases and English-language papers. Different water-based interventions and recovery outcomes should not be treated as one uniform programme, and these results do not establish faster return from a particular injury.
Read the source
Consult the original record for the full author list, methods, references, funding and competing-interest disclosures.
The Impact of Aquatic Training on Athletic Performance and Physical Recovery in Competitive Athletes: A Meta-Analysis
Original publication / indexed recordPMID: 42013467DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000005469Full text at the sourceReader discussion
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