Cold Therapy in the Treatment of Exercise-induced Muscle Damage

University of Brasilia

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cryotherapy Effect

Treatments: Other: passive recovery; Other: whole body cryotherapy (WBC); Other: single exposure at 5°C in CWI; Other: multiple exposures at 10°C in CWI; Other: single exposure at 15°C in CWI

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02341612

CEP/FS-UnB 234/13

Details and patient eligibility

About

Subjects were randomly placed in five groups: (1) single exposure at 5°C in cold water immersion, (2) single exposure at 15°C in cold water immersion, (3) multiple exposures at 10°C in cold water immersion, (4) whole body cryotherapy (WBC) at 110°C and (5) passive recovery (control group). The single exposure groups performed cold water immersion immediately after exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) for 20 minutes. The multiple exposures group performed cold water immersion immediately, 24h, 48h and 72h after EIMD (once a day) for 20 minutes. The WBC group remained in the cabin immediately after EIMD for 3 min. The control group was not exposed to treatment after the EIMD protocol. The subjects were asked to visit the laboratory on seven occasions. The first visit was the familiarization of the subjects with experimental procedures and their anthropometric assessment. One week after familiarization, on visit two, volunteers performed the exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) protocol and they were allocated to one of experimental groups. Indirect markers of muscle damage and inflammatory responses were evaluated at baseline (pre), immediately post, 24h, 48h, 72h, 96h, and 168h following the EIMD protocol by measuring anterior thigh muscle swelling, isometric knee extensors peak torque, knee extensors muscle soreness, countermovement vertical jump and blood sample analyzes.

Full description

To avoid circadian influences, subjects were asked to visit the laboratory always at the same time of day. Volunteers were asked to not perform any vigorous physical activities or unaccustomed exercise during the experiment period. In addition, they were instructed not to intake medications or supplements during the study.

Enrollment: 65 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• College students were eligible for inclusion.

Exclusion criteria

• Exclusion criteria included a history of eccentric quadriceps exercise in the past 3 months
• A history of quadriceps muscle tear
• Neurological disease involving the lower limbs
• Current lower-limb musculoskeletal injury and thigh skinfold thickness >20 mm..
• Participants with potential vascular problems which cold therapy is contraindicated (eg, diagnoses of diabetes or Raynaud's disease) were also excluded

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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65 participants in 5 patient groups

single exposure at 5°C in CWI

Experimental group

Description:

The subjects of this group performed cold water immersion (CWI) immediately after exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) a single exposure at 5°C for 20 minutes.

Treatment:

Other: single exposure at 5°C in CWI

single exposure at 15°C in CWI

Experimental group

Description:

The subjects of this group performed CWI immediately after EIMD a single exposure at 15°C for 20 minutes.

Treatment:

Other: single exposure at 15°C in CWI

multiple exposures at 10°C in CWI

Experimental group

Description:

The subjects of this group performed CWI immediately, 24h, 48h and 72h after EIMD (once a day) for 20 minutes.

Treatment:

Other: multiple exposures at 10°C in CWI

whole body criotherapy (WBC)

Experimental group

Description:

The whole body criotherapy (WBC) group remained in the cabin immediately after EIMD for 3 minutes.

Treatment:

Other: whole body cryotherapy (WBC)

passive recovery

Experimental group

Description:

The control group was not exposed to treatment after the EIMD protocol.

Treatment:

Other: passive recovery