Clinical trial NCT02506283: The Effect of Thermotherapy on Recovery and Performance
Official title: The Effect of Cryotherapy on Recovery and Performance: A Randomized Controlled Double Blind Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Healthy
Keywords: cryotherapy
recovery
athletic performance
maximum voluntary contraction
rated perceived exertion
delayed onset muscle soreness
jump performance
Lead sponsor: University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: THIM - die internationale Hochschule für Physiotherapie
name: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
name: Universiteit Antwerpen
First posted: 2015-07-23
Enrollment: 40
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 30
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This study investigates the effects of cooling on the recovery and performance characteristic in young healthy subjects. The study is divided in two projects:

Project A: investigates the effects of 20 min. post-exercise cooling on vertical jump performance and delayed onset muscle soreness and rated perceived exertion.

Project B: investigates the effects of 20 min. pre-exercise cooling on maximal voluntary contraction of the right M. quadriceps femoris and delayed onset muscle soreness and rated perceived exertion.

Detailed description: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of a 20 min. external cooling application (+8°C ) versus a external thermo neutral application (+32°C) up to 72 hours post application.

The study is divided in two projects:

Project A: This study is focusing on the recovery process after a max. jump performance (3x30 counter movement jumps). Directly after the exercise subjects receive a cooling or thermo-neutral application. Recovery characteristics measured by vertical jump performance (objective) and delayed onset muscle soreness and rated perceived exertion (subjective) are measured in function of time up to 72 hours post cooling intervention.

Project B: This study is focusing on the effect of 20 min. cooling or thermo-neutral application on the M. quadriceps femoris performance (MVC). After the thermo-application, the 60% endurance MVC is measured by means of surface EMG (OT Bioelettronica 10-750 Hz) in a ergometer chair 90° degrees knee flexion (Cor 1 Bioelettronica). Muscle conduction velocity, MVC (objective), delayed onset muscle soreness and rated perceived exertion (subjective) are measured in function of time up to 72 hours post thermo-application.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* only healthy young subjects 18-30 years
* no musculoskeletal surgery in trunk and lower extremities
* injury history in trunk and lower extremity for more than one year
* subjects taking anticonceptive medication are allowed to participate

Exclusion Criteria:

* actual injuries or injuries for less than one year in trunk and /or lower extremities
* injury history in trunk and lower extremity for more than one year with complaints
* anxiety of cooling
* subjects on medication
* pace maker
* cardiovascular disease
* pregnancy
* skeletal problems
* appendectomy for less than two years
* Morbus Raynaud syndrome

Primary outcomes:
measure: The effect of a 20 minute cryotherapy application on vertical jump performance 24 hours post cold application
timeFrame: 0-24hours post cold application
measure: The effect of a 20 minute cryotherapy application on vertical jump performance 48 hours post cold application
timeFrame: 24-48 hours post cold application
measure: The effect of a 20 minute cryotherapy application on vertical jump performance 72 hours post cold application
timeFrame: 48-72 hours post cold application
measure: The effect of a 20 minute cryotherapy application on maximum voluntary contraction 24 hours post cold application
timeFrame: 0-24 hours post cold application
measure: The effect of a 20 minute cryotherapy application on maximum voluntary contraction 48 hours post cold application
timeFrame: 24-48 hours post cold application
measure: The effect of a 20 minute cryotherapy application on maximum voluntary 72 hours post cold application
timeFrame: 48-72 hours post cold application
Secondary outcomes:
measure: The effect of a 20 minute cryotherapy application on delayed onset muscle soreness 24 hours post cold application
timeFrame: 0-24 hours post cold application
measure: The effect of a 20 minute cryotherapy application on delayed onset muscle soreness 48 hours post cold application
timeFrame: 24-48 hours post cold application
measure: The effect of a 20 minute cryotherapy application on delayed onset muscle 72 hours post cold application
timeFrame: 48-72 hours post cold application
measure: The effect of a 20 minute cryotherapy application on rated perceived exertion 24 hours post cold application
timeFrame: 0-24 hours post cold application
measure: The effect of a 20 minute cryotherapy application on rated perceived exertion 48 hours post cold application
timeFrame: 24-48 hours post cold application
measure: The effect of a 20 minute cryotherapy application on rated perceived exertion 72 hours post cold application
timeFrame: 48-72 hours post cold application
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Landquart
country: Switzerland
facility: SUPSI
state: GR
Study officials:
affiliation: SUPSI Landquart
name: Ron Clijsen, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Bleakley C, McDonough S, Gardner E, Baxter GD, Hopkins JT, Davison GW. Cold-water immersion (cryotherapy) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Feb 15;2012(2):CD008262. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008262.pub2.
citation: Ross ML, Garvican LA, Jeacocke NA, Laursen PB, Abbiss CR, Martin DT, Burke LM. Novel precooling strategy enhances time trial cycling in the heat. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011 Jan;43(1):123-33. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181e93210.
citation: Ascensao A, Leite M, Rebelo AN, Magalhaes S, Magalhaes J. Effects of cold water immersion on the recovery of physical performance and muscle damage following a one-off soccer match. J Sports Sci. 2011 Feb;29(3):217-25. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2010.526132.
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citation: Barnett A. Using recovery modalities between training sessions in elite athletes: does it help? Sports Med. 2006;36(9):781-96. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200636090-00005.
citation: Pointon M, Duffield R, Cannon J, Marino FE. Cold application for neuromuscular recovery following intense lower-body exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2011 Dec;111(12):2977-86. doi: 10.1007/s00421-011-1924-1. Epub 2011 Mar 29.
citation: Wegmann M, Faude O, Poppendieck W, Hecksteden A, Frohlich M, Meyer T. Pre-cooling and sports performance: a meta-analytical review. Sports Med. 2012 Jul 1;42(7):545-64. doi: 10.2165/11630550-000000000-00000.
citation: White GE, Wells GD. Cold-water immersion and other forms of cryotherapy: physiological changes potentially affecting recovery from high-intensity exercise. Extrem Physiol Med. 2013 Sep 1;2(1):26. doi: 10.1186/2046-7648-2-26.