The Use of Upper-Body Intermittent Sequential Pneumatic Compression Arm Sleeves on Recovery From Exercise in Wheelchair Athletes.

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to investigate the efficacy of an upper-body intermittent sequential pneumatic compression device on recovery after wheelchair team sport activity. Eleven well-trained wheelchair basketball and rugby athletes (male, 8; female, 3; mean ± SD age = 33 ± 10 yrs) performed a series of performance measures pre-exercise, postexercise, and postrecovery (grip strength, pressure-to-pain threshold, medicine ball throw, wheelchair sprints, repeated sprints). Subjective muscle soreness and fatigue measurements were taken at the same time points as performance tests, with an additional 24-hr postrecovery measure. Participants completed two recovery trials, separated by 1 wk, of either passive recovery (control) or 20 mins of wearing recovery arm sleeves (intermittent sequential pneumatic compression) applied to both arms. No statistically significant differences were found between trials for any of the performance or perceptual measures (P > 0.05). However, effect size analysis revealed a moderate decrease (d = -0.67) from postexercise to postrecovery for muscle fatigue in favor of intermittent sequential pneumatic compression. A large decrease (d = -0.96) in muscle soreness was also found after exercise to 24 hrs after recovery in favor of intermittent sequential pneumatic compression over control. Intermittent sequential pneumatic compression may provide some benefit for perceptual recovery measures immediately after and 24 hrs after a high-intensity wheelchair activity with negligible effects on performance recovery.