Cold Therapy in the Treatment of Exercise-induced Muscle Damage

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Cryotherapy Effect
• Interventions: Other: whole body cryotherapy (WBC); Other: multiple exposures at 10°C in CWI; Other: passive recovery; Other: single exposure at 15°C in CWI; Other: single exposure at 5°C in CWI

• Registration Number: NCT02341612
• Lead Sponsor: University of Brasilia

Brief Summary

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.

Detailed 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.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2013-12
• Primary Completion: 2014-08
• Study Completion: 2014-08
• Study First Submitted: 2014-12-16
• Status Verified: 2015-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2015-01-16
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-01-16
• Study First Posted: 2015-01-19
• Last Update Posted: 2015-01-19

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Male
• Target Recruitment: 65

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

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
whole body criotherapy (WBC)	whole body cryotherapy (WBC)	The whole body criotherapy (WBC) group remained in the cabin immediately after EIMD for 3 minutes.
multiple exposures at 10°C in CWI	multiple exposures at 10°C in CWI	The subjects of this group performed CWI immediately, 24h, 48h and 72h after EIMD (once a day) for 20 minutes.
passive recovery	passive recovery	The control group was not exposed to treatment after the EIMD protocol.
single exposure at 15°C in CWI	single exposure at 15°C in CWI	The subjects of this group performed CWI immediately after EIMD a single exposure at 15°C for 20 minutes.
single exposure at 5°C in CWI	single exposure at 5°C in CWI	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.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change of knee extensors muscle maximal isometric voluntary contraction during 168h post exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), assessed using isokinetic dynamometer	at baseline (pre) and at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 168 hours after exercise-induced muscle damage.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change of the anterior thigh muscle swelling during 168h post EIMD, assessed using ultrasound device	at baseline (pre) and at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 168 hours after exercise-induced muscle damage.
Change of the knee extensors muscle soreness during 168h post EIMD, assessed using a Visual Analogue Scale	at baseline (pre) and at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 168 hours after exercise-induced muscle damage.
Change on the performance of countermovement vertical jump during 168h post EIMD, assessed using a force plate	at baseline (pre) and at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 168 hours after exercise-induced muscle damage.
Change of inflammatory response (Tumor Necrosis Factor-α, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, interleukin-1β, interleukin-1ra) during 168h post EIMD, assessed by blood sample analyzes	at baseline (pre) and at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 168 hours after exercise-induced muscle damage.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Brasília; 🇧🇷 Brasília, DF, Brazil