| The aim of this investigation was to elucidate the efficacy of
repeated cold water immersions (CWI) in the recovery of exercise induced
muscle damage. A randomised group consisting of eighteen males, mean ± s
age, height and body mass were 24 ± 5 years, 1.82 ± 0.06 m and 85.7 ± 16.6
kg respectively, completed a bout of 100 drop jumps. Following the bout
of damaging exercise, participants were randomly but equally assigned to
either a 12 min CWI (15 ± 1 °C; n = 9) group who experienced immersions
immediately post-exercise and every 24 h thereafter for the following 3
days, or a control group (no treatment; n = 9). Maximal voluntary contraction
(MVC) of the knee extensors, creatine kinase activity (CK), muscle soreness
(DOMS), range of motion (ROM) and limb girth were measured pre-exercise
and then for the following 96 h at 24 h increments. In addition MVC was
also recorded immediately post-exercise. Significant time effects were seen
for MVC, CK, DOMS and limb girth (p < 0.05) indicating muscle damage
was evident, however there was no group effect or interaction observed showing
that CWI did not attenuate any of the dependent variables (p > 0.05).
These results suggest that repeated CWI do not enhance recovery from a bout
of damaging eccentric contractions.
Key words: Eccentric exercise, treatment, cryotherapy.
|
and Glyn Howatson2