Effects of cold water immersion and compression garment use after eccentric exercise on recovery

The combined effect of different types of post-exercise treatment has not been fully explored. We investigated the effect of combined cold water immersion (CWI) and compression garment (CG) use after maximal eccentric exercise on maximal muscle strength, indirect muscle damage markers in the blood, muscle thickness, and muscle soreness score 24 h after exercise.

Ten men performed two trials (CWI + CG and CON) in random order. In the CWI + CG trial, the subjects performed 15 min of CWI (15°C), followed by wearing of a lower-body CG for 24 h after exercise. In the CON trial, there was no post-exercise treatment. The exercise consisted of 6 × 10 maximal isokinetic (60°·s-1) eccentric knee extensions using one lower limb. The maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and maximal isokinetic (60°·s-1) strength during knee extension, as well as the indirect muscle damage markers, were evaluated before exercise and 24 h after exercise.

The maximal muscle strength decreased in both trials (p < 0.001), with no difference between them. The exercise-induced elevation in the myoglobin concentration tended to be lower in the CWI + CG trial than in the CON trial (p = 0.060). The difference in the MVC, maximal isokinetic strength, muscle thickness, and muscle soreness score between the trials was not significant.

CWI followed by wearing of a CG after maximal eccentric exercise tended to attenuate the exercise-induced elevation of indirect muscle damage markers in the blood.