Recovery profiles of eccentric hamstring strength in response to cooling and compression

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Exercise Physiology
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Cryotherapy and combined compression (cryo-compression) are common in sports for recovery.
• The effectiveness of contemporary cryo-compression protocols remains unclear.
• Investigating cryo-compression's impact on hamstring recovery is warranted.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a cryo-compression device for recovering hamstring eccentric strength post-exercise.
• To compare cryo-compression with rest in enhancing recovery after a fatiguing protocol.

Main Methods:

• Eighteen male footballers underwent a fatiguing protocol (Yo-Yo IFT).
• Participants received either cryo-compression (Game Ready®, 15 min, 10°C, 5-75 mm Hg) or rest.
• Hamstring eccentric strength and skin temperature were measured pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Cryo-compression significantly decreased skin surface temperature.
• No significant differences were found in hamstring eccentric strength between cryo-compression and rest conditions.
• No significant time or condition interactions affected strength recovery.

Conclusions:

• Immediate application of cryo-compression post-exercise did not enhance hamstring eccentric strength recovery.
• Further research is required to optimize cryo-compression protocols for sports recovery.
• Future studies should incorporate performance measures during rewarming and within training schedules.