SPA THERAPY AS RECOVERY PROCEDURE AFTER EXERCISE: A PRAGMATIC CONTROLLED TRIAL

Subjects perform the recovery session after completing the exercise protocol. Participants are allocated to the control or intervention group following an order of arrival to the study.

The spinning session is performed using the same protocol for all participants after 24h physical rest. They were asked to perform this session as a regular spinning class. The session is carried out in the afternoon (room temperature 22±3.5°C) on a modified spinning bike (Keiser®, M3). They are allowed to drink water during the session and performed the test, while they listen a compilation of music that lasted 50min composed of 9 tracks.

Each track corresponds to a specific phase of the spinning session. The phases being labeled as warm-up, sitting, seated climbing, jumping, and running, based on the official spinning program manual. Some phases are repeated during the session, the compilation being purposely designed for beginner practitioners of a spinning class. In addition to the music protocol, the participants are asked to maintain a pedal stroke cadence that had previously been established for each track. For the resistance applied to the flywheel, the participants are free to adjust it according to their sensation and interpretation of the spinning session.

Recovery Procedures

A cycle of 3 Vichy shower and whirlpool baths are applied during 30-minutes period. Vichy sedative shower are applied for 90-120 sec to the sides of the trunk and the abdomen, avoiding as much as possible the gall bladder area, at a temperature of 36-38ºC. A short, partial jet spray followed the shower. A whirlpool bath is administered where subjects immersed the body until their clavicle level for a 10min period with a water temperature ranging 33.5-35.5 ºC. Aromatherapy application using lavender and chamomile oils is used in all Spa therapy sessions.