Abstract
Recent evidence suggests an innovative approach to muscle conditioning: focal knee joint cooling (FKJC) appears to improve quadriceps function, including static (isometric) strength. However, there is limited evidence on the effects of FKJC on dynamic (concentric and eccentric) strength. Thus, the purpose of the study was to examine dynamic quadriceps strength following FKJC as well as static strength. Twenty-one college-aged participants volunteered. They randomly underwent 20 min of FKJC and control condition at least 72 h apart. FKJC involves two ice bags, placed on the anterior and posterior surfaces of the knee, whereas the control condition received a plastic ice bag filled with candy corn. We assessed isometric and isokinetic (concentric and eccentric) quadriceps strength at two different velocities (60°/s and 180°/s). Participants performed three maximal voluntary contractions for each mode of muscle contraction, before and after each treatment (immediately, 20, and 40 min after). The outcome variable was maximum knee extension peak torque. FKJC did not change peak torque during any mode of muscle contraction (p > 0.05). The current findings suggest that 20 min of FKJC does not change static (isometric) or dynamic (isokinetic) strength of the quadriceps. FKJC was neither beneficial nor harmful to static or dynamic muscular strength.
Highlights
Quadriceps strength plays a significant role in the proper functioning of the knee joint mechanics as it acts to absorb and distribute intra-articular joint pressures placed at the knee during physical activities [1,2,3]
We hypothesized that focal knee joint cooling (FKJC) would significantly improve both isometric and isokinetic quadriceps strength as measured by peak torque output
We found that the use of FKJC did not lead to an increase in maximal force output of the knee joint as represented by peak torque during either isometric or isokinetic knee extension contractions
Summary
Quadriceps strength plays a significant role in the proper functioning of the knee joint mechanics as it acts to absorb and distribute intra-articular joint pressures placed at the knee during physical activities [1,2,3]. Quadriceps strength has been shown to contribute to various physical performances [4,5,6,7,8,9]. Studies reported that weakness of the quadriceps muscle may result in reduced capabilities of physical activities such as walking, running, and hopping [10,11]. Improving quadriceps strength is a crucial aspect for physical conditioning. Cryotherapy, involving the application of a cold agent to the body or muscles, has been frequently used in sports to facilitate faster recovery of the working muscle [12,13,14] or to manage various symptoms such as pain, swelling, and edema after acute injury [15,16,17]
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