Abstract
BackgroundDespite debate regarding their effectiveness, many different post-exercise recovery strategies are used by athletes. This study compared five post-exercise recovery strategies (cold water immersion, contrast water immersion, active recovery, a combined cold water immersion and active recovery and a control condition) to determine which is most effective for subsequent short-term performance and perceived recovery.MethodsThirty-four recreationally active males undertook a simulated team-game fatiguing circuit followed by the above recovery strategies (randomized, 1 per week). Prior to the fatiguing exercise, and at 1, 24 and 48 h post-exercise, perceptual, flexibility and performance measures were assessed.ResultsContrast water immersion significantly enhanced perceptual recovery 1 h after fatiguing exercise in comparison to active and control recovery strategies. Cold water immersion and the combined recovery produced detrimental jump power performance at 1 h compared to the control and active recovery strategies. No recovery strategy was different to the control at 24 and 48 h for either perceptual or performance variables.ConclusionFor short term perceptual recovery, contrast water therapy should be implemented and for short-term countermovement power performance an active or control recovery is desirable. At 24 and 48 h, no superior recovery strategy was detected.Trial registrationRetrospectively registered; ISRCTN14415088; 5/11/2017.
Highlights
Despite debate regarding their effectiveness, many different post-exercise recovery strategies are used by athletes
Average Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) values post each fatiguing exercise by condition were as follows cold water immersion (CWI) 16 ± 1.6; contrast water therapy (CWT) 16 ± 2.3; active recovery (ACT) 16 ± 2.0; COMB 16 ± 1.8 and Control recovery (CONT) 16 ± 2.2
Average Heart rate (HR) values during fatiguing exercise were as follows CWI 168 ± 11.3 bpm; CWT ± 10.9 bpm; ACT ± 10.3 bpm; COMB
Summary
Despite debate regarding their effectiveness, many different post-exercise recovery strategies are used by athletes. This study compared five post-exercise recovery strategies (cold water immersion, contrast water immersion, active recovery, a combined cold water immersion and active recovery and a control condition) to determine which is most effective for subsequent short-term performance and perceived recovery. Non-elite levels of athlete have been shown to undertake a number of different recovery strategies post-exercise [4], potentially to decrease soreness and improve subsequent performance. Water immersion recovery strategies such as cold water immersion (CWI) and contrast water therapy (CWT) are used by athletes across a range of competition levels [4] to enhance post-exercise recovery [6,7,8]. The common explanation for CWT effectiveness is the pumping action of circulating blood, which is caused by alternation between vasodilation and vasoconstriction in response to hot and cold water [6]
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