Cold application for neuromuscular recovery following intense lower-body exercise.

Pointon, Monique; Duffield, Rob; Cannon, Jack; Marino, Frank; Marino, Frank E

This study examined the effects of cold therapy (COLD) on recovery of voluntary and evoked contractile properties following high-intensity, muscle-damaging and fatiguing exercise. Ten resistance-trained males performed 6 × 25 maximal concentric/eccentric muscle contractions of the dominant knee extensors (KE) followed by a 20-min recovery (COLD v control) in a randomized cross-over design. Voluntary and evoked neuromuscular properties of the right KE, ratings of perceived muscle soreness (MS) and pain, and blood markers for muscle damage were measured pre- and post-exercise, and immediately post-recovery, 2, 24 and 48-h post-recovery. Exercise resulted in decrements in voluntary and evoked torque, increased MS and elevated muscle damage markers (p 0.05). Activation of right KE decreased post-exercise with increased activation of biceps femoris (BF) (p 0.05). No significant differences were observed between conditions for creatine kinase or asparate aminotransferase (p > 0.05). However, perceptual ratings of pain were significantly (p < 0.05) lower following COLD compared to control. In conclusion, following damage to the contractile apparatus, COLD did not significantly hasten the recovery of peripheral contractile trauma. Despite no beneficial effect of COLD on recovery of MVC, perceptions of pain were reduced following COLD.

NEUROMUSCULAR system; MUSCLE contraction; MUSCLE motility; STIFLE joint; EXERCISE; KNEE physiology; SKELETAL muscle physiology; ASPARTATE aminotransferase; COLD therapy; COMPARATIVE studies; CONVALESCENCE; CREATINE kinase; CROSSOVER trials; ELECTROMYOGRAPHY; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL cooperation; PAIN; RESEARCH; TORQUE; EVALUATION research; RANDOMIZED controlled trials; MUSCLE fatigue; RESISTANCE training

European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2011, Vol 111, Issue 12, p2977

1439-6319

Academic Journal

10.1007/s00421-011-1924-1