Influence of Guided-Stretching Exercises and Cool Immersion on Functional Performance in Young Women

Abstract

Objective: Cold therapy has been pointed out as beneficial treatment for acute injuries. Stretching exercises have been widely used during last decades for prevention and recovery purposes. Functional performance tests have evolved in a mode of determining an athlete´s functional ability. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of ice immersion and a guided-stretching exercises protocol to the lower extremity on functional performance in a student, female population. Methods: Twenty-five female physical activity students volunteered to participate in this study. We used a pretestpostest design with an untreated control group. Before and immediately following the treatment, subjects performed these functional performance tests: the squat jump (SJ), the counter-movement jump (CMJ), 30-m sprint, and 1000- m run. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a control group (n=9) or 2 experimental groups: ice immersion/no stretching (n=8); no ice immersion/stretching (n=8). The experiment was repeated two hours later the same day and two days later. The postest procedures were performed as previously described. The average of the two test trials for jumping functional performance tests was used for comparison. Results: Results showed no significant differences among these routines on functional performance scores. ANOVA analysis revealed no significant differences among these routines on functional performance scores. The 30-m sprint (p<0.24) and 1000-m run (p<0.01) scores were significantly improved in control group on day 1, and SJ test data showed a marked reduction (p<0.01). Conclusion: Immediate effects of cold immersion and guided-stretching exercises on functional performance in the lower extremity should be considered with caution. Further research is necessary to investigate the possible mechanisms and any short-term effect caused by these approaches.