Effects of Whole-Body Cryotherapy vs. Far-Infrared vs. Passive Modalities on Recovery from Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Highly-Trained Runners

Enhanced recovery following physical activity and exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) has become a priority for athletes. Consequently, a number of post-exercise recovery strategies are used, often without scientific evidence of their benefits. Within this framework, the purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of whole body cryotherapy (WBC), far infrared (FIR) or passive (PAS) modalities in hastening muscular recovery within the 48 hours after a simulated trail running race. In 3 non-adjoining weeks, 9 well-trained runners performed 3 repetitions of a simulated trail run on a motorized treadmill, designed to induce muscle damage. Immediately (post), post 24 h, and post 48 h after exercise, all participants tested three different recovery modalities (WBC, FIR, PAS) in a random order over the three separate weeks. Markers of muscle damage (maximal isometric muscle strength, plasma creatine kinase [CK] activity and perceived sensations [i.e. pain, tiredness, well-being]) were recorded before, immediately after (post), post 1 h, post 24 h, and post 48 h after exercise. In all testing sessions, the simulated 48 min trail run induced a similar, significant amount of muscle damage. Maximal muscle strength and perceived sensations were recovered after the first WBC session (post 1 h), while recovery took 24 h with FIR, and was not attained through the PAS recovery modality. No differences in plasma CK activity were recorded between conditions. Three WBC sessions performed within the 48 hours after a damaging running exercise accelerate recovery from EIMD to a greater extent than FIR or PAS modalities

AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN NEUROMUSCULAR FUNCTION AND PERFORMANCE FOLLOWING A HIGH-INTENSITY INTERMITTENT TASK IN ENDURANCE TRAINED MEN

International audienceBackground: A greater attention has been focused on the need to design strategies to increase functional capacities in older populations. This has raised several questions regarding the ability of regular endurance training to preserve functional capacity with age.Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the age-associated changes in neuromuscular function in endurance trained men before and after a high-intensity, intermittent fatigue task.Method: 26 healthy endurance trained male subjects: 16 old (59-79 yrs) and 10 young (20-34 yrs) men per-formed a high-intensity, intermittent fatigue exercise corresponding to 10 sets of 10 repetitions on a hori-zontal leg press at 70% of the individual one repetition maximum. Maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) and evoked contractions of the knee extensors muscles were performed before and after the exercise.Results: Decreases in MVC (old: -9.7 % and young: -14.3 %) and electromyographic activity were not different between groups. Peak twitch torque was reduced only for the old men and no changes in voluntary activa-tion and M-wave properties were recorded in either group.Conclusion: The present study indicates in endurance trained men aged 59-79 years that muscle functional capacities are maintained despite losses in strength and contractile function related to the age

Whole-body cryotherapy does not augment adaptations to high-intensity interval training

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of regular post-exercise whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) on physiological and performance adaptations to high-intensity interval training (HIT). In a two-group parallel design, twenty-two well-trained males performed four weeks of cycling HIT, with each session immediately followed by 3 min of WBC (−110 °C) or a passive control (CON). To assess the effects of WBC on the adaptive response to HIT, participants performed the following cycling tests before and after the training period; a graded exercise test (GXT), a time-to-exhaustion test (Tmax), a 20-km time trial (20TT), and a 120-min submaximal test (SM120). Blood samples were taken before and after training to measure changes in basal adrenal hormones (adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol). Sleep patterns were also assessed during training via wrist actigraphy. As compared with CON, the administration of WBC after each training session during four weeks of HIT had no effect on peak oxygen uptake (V˙ role= presentation \u3eV˙O2peak) and peak aerobic power (Ppeak) achieved during the GXT, Tmax duration and work performed (WTmax), 20TT performance, substrate oxidation during the SM120, basal adrenaline/noradrenaline/cortisol concentrations, or sleep patterns (P \u3e 0.05). These findings suggest that regular post-exercise WBC is not an effective strategy to augment training-induced aerobic adaptations to four weeks of HIT

Effets d'une alcalose induite sur les paramètres métaboliques et sanguins lors d'un test: Cyclisme et Course à pied chez des triathlètes entraînés

International audienc

Endurance and strength training effects on physiological and muscular parameters during prolonged cycling

International audiencePurpose: This study investigated the effects of a combined endurance and strength training on the physiological and neuromuscular parameters during a 2-hour cycling test.Methods: Fourteen triathletes were assigned to an endurance-strength training group (ES) and an endurance-only training group (E). They performed 3 experimental trials before and after training: an incremental cycling test to exhaustion, a maximal concentric lower-limbs strength measurement and a 2-hour cycling exercise. Physiological parameters, free cycling chosen cadence (FCC) and the EMG of Vastus Lateralis (VL) and Rectus Femoris (RF) were analysed during the 2-hour cycling task.Results: The results showed that the maximum strength and the isometric maximal voluntary contraction (isoMVC) after training were significantly higher (P<0.01) and lower (P<0.01) than before training, respectively in ES and E groups. The physiological variables measured during the cycling tests and the progressive increase (P<0.01) in EMGi (VL) and EMGi (RF) throughout the 2-hour cycling test did not differ between the two groups before and after training, except for the variation of EMGi (VL) over the cycle time which was stabilized during the second hour of the 2-hour cycling test due to training in ES group. The decrease in FCC observed in pre-training (P<0.01) was also replaced by a steady FCC for the ES-group during the second hour of exercise.Conclusion: This study confirmed the decrease in the FCC with exercise duration and demonstrated that a specific combined endurance and strength training can prevent this decrease during a 2-hour constant cycling exercise

Document, create and translate knowledge: the mission of ReFORM, the Francophone IOC Research Centre for Prevention of Injury and Protection of Athlete Health

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has supported athletes’ health protection by funding Research Centres dedicated to prevention and treatment of sports-related injuries and illnesses. After establishing four centres in 2009, the IOC Research Centres network expanded to 9 Institutions in 2014 and the 2019 round recognised 11 centres. Here we introduce ReFORM — an international French-speaking network of five institutions.Peer reviewe

Head Exposure to Cold during Whole-Body Cryostimulation: Influence on Thermal Response and Autonomic Modulation

Recent research on whole-body cryotherapy has hypothesized a major responsibility of head cooling in the physiological changes classically reported after a cryostimulation session. The aim of this experiment was to verify this hypothesis by studying the influence of exposing the head to cold during whole-body cryostimulation sessions, on the thermal response and the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Over five consecutive days, two groups of 10 participants performed one whole-body cryostimulation session daily, in one of two different systems; one exposing the whole-body to cold (whole-body cryostimulation, WBC), and the other exposing the whole-body except the head (partial-body cryostimulation, PBC).10 participants constituted a control group (CON) not receiving any cryostimulation. In order to isolate the head-cooling effect on recorded variables, it was ensured that the WBC and PBC systems induced the same decrease in skin temperature for all body regions (mean decrease over the 5 exposures: -8.6°C±1.3°C and -8.3±0.7°C for WBC and PBC, respectively), which persisted up to 20-min after the sessions (P20). The WBC sessions caused an almost certain decrease in tympanic temperature from Pre to P20 (-0.28 ±0.11°C), while it only decreased at P20 (-0.14±0.05°C) after PBC sessions. Heart rate almost certainly decreased after PBC (-8.6%) and WBC (-12.3%) sessions. Resting vagal-related heart rate variability indices (the root-mean square difference of successive normal R-R intervals, RMSSD, and high frequency band, HF) were very likely to almost certainly increased after PBC (RMSSD:+49.1%, HF: +123.3%) and WBC (RMSSD: +38.8%, HF:+70.3%). Plasma norepinephrine concentration was likely increased in similar proportions after PBC and WBC, but only after the first session. Both cryostimulation techniques stimulated the ANS with a predominance of parasympathetic tone activation from the first to the fifth session and in slightly greater proportion with WBC than PBC. The main result of this study indicates that the head exposure to cold during whole-body cryostimulation may not be the main factor responsible for the effects of cryostimulation on the ANS

Parasympathetic Activity and Blood Catecholamine Responses Following a Single Partial-Body Cryostimulation and a Whole-Body Cryostimulation

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a single whole-body cryostimulation (WBC) and a partial-body cryostimulation (PBC) (i.e., not exposing the head to cold) on indices of parasympathetic activity and blood catecholamines. Two groups of 15 participants were assigned either to a 3-min WBC or PBC session, while 10 participants constituted a control group (CON) not receiving any cryostimulation. Changes in thermal, physiological and subjective variables were recorded before and during the 20-min after each cryostimulation. According to a qualitative statistical analysis, an almost certain decrease in skin temperature was reported for all body regions immediately after the WBC (mean decrease±90% CL, -13.7±0.7°C) and PBC (-8.3±0.3°C), which persisted up to 20-min after the session. The tympanic temperature almost certainly decreased only after the WBC session (-0.32±0.04°C). Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were very likely increased after the WBC session, whereas these changes were trivial in the other groups. In addition, heart rate almost certainly decreased after PBC (-10.9%) and WBC (-15.2%) sessions, in a likely greater proportion for WBC compared to PBC. Resting vagal-related heart rate variability indices (the root-mean square difference of successive normal R-R intervals, RMSSD, and high frequency band, HF) were very likely increased after PBC (RMSSD: +54.4%, HF: +138%) and WBC (RMSSD: +85.2%, HF: +632%) sessions without any marked difference between groups. Plasma norepinephrine concentrations were likely to very likely increased after PBC (+57.4%) and WBC (+76.2%), respectively. Finally, cold and comfort sensations were almost certainly altered after WBC and PBC, sensation of discomfort being likely more pronounced after WBC than PBC. Both acute cryostimulation techniques effectively stimulated the autonomic nervous system (ANS), with a predominance of parasympathetic tone activation. The results of this study also suggest that a whole-body cold exposure induced a larger stimulation of the ANS compared to partial-body cold exposure

Time-Course of Changes in Inflammatory Response after Whole-Body Cryotherapy Multi Exposures following Severe Exercise

The objectives of the present investigation was to analyze the effect of two different recovery modalities on classical markers of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) and inflammation obtained after a simulated trail running race. Endurance trained males (n = 11) completed two experimental trials separated by 1 month in a randomized crossover design; one trial involved passive recovery (PAS), the other a specific whole body cryotherapy (WBC) for 96 h post-exercise (repeated each day). For each trial, subjects performed a 48 min running treadmill exercise followed by PAS or WBC. The Interleukin (IL) -1 (IL-1), IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), protein C-reactive (CRP) and white blood cells count were measured at rest, immediately post-exercise, and at 24, 48, 72, 96 h in post-exercise recovery. A significant time effect was observed to characterize an inflammatory state (Pre vs. Post) following the exercise bout in all conditions (p<0.05). Indeed, IL-1β (Post 1 h) and CRP (Post 24 h) levels decreased and IL-1ra (Post 1 h) increased following WBC when compared to PAS. In WBC condition (p<0.05), TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-6 remain unchanged compared to PAS condition. Overall, the results indicated that the WBC was effective in reducing the inflammatory process. These results may be explained by vasoconstriction at muscular level, and both the decrease in cytokines activity pro-inflammatory, and increase in cytokines anti-inflammatory

Influence des propriétés musculaires sur un exercice de locomotion humaine : de l'efficience à la déficience motrice

The purpose of the present work is to determine the influence of the muscular properties of the lower limbs on the locomotor pattern. The first studies (studies n°l and n°2) analyse the relationship between the strength capacity of the lower extremity muscles and the choice of a particular locomotor pattern during cycling. Our results indicate that, on healthy subject, the locomotor pattern is not affected by the muscular characteristics. On the other hand, the muscular properties modify the synergy of the muscle coordination and the criteria of energy and neuromusoular efficiency during locomotion. The three following studies (3, 4 and 4bis) aim to characterize the effects of various muscular alterations on locomotion. Two methods are used to generate these alterations. The first consists to generate a muscular fatigue from two types of repeated lower limbs contractions (concentric vs. eccentric) (Study 3). The second method is comparative, and aims to analyze the effects of a fatiguing exercise on the locomotion in two populations with different muscular properties (young vs. elderly adults) (Studies 4 and 4bis). The results of the study 3 show, on the one hand, that muscular alterations are directly dependent on the type of contraction and, on the other hand, that these alterations specifically modify the locomotor pattern. The two last studies produce two original results, The first result indicates that the alteration of the muscular properties after a fatiguing exercise is potentiated when the subjects have a preliminary muscular insufficiency. The second result shows that, whatever the characteristics of the muscular function, the modification of the locomotor pattern after a fatiguing exercise is always the same. However, this adaptation is accompanied by a reorganization of the muscular cooperation specific to each population. The whole of this experimental work suggests that the muscular properties of the lower limbs, altered or not, do not influence the kinematics of the locomotor pattern. However, they could determine a particular organization of the muscular synergies to produce the movementL'objectif de ce travail de thèse est de déterminer l'influence des propriétés musculaires des membres inférieurs sur l'adaptation du patron locomoteur. Les deux premières études (études n°l et n°2) analysent la relation entre le niveau de force maximale des muscles extenseurs des membres intérieurs et le choix d'un patron locomoteur lors d'un exercice de pédalage. Nos résultats indiquent que, chez le sujet sain, le patron locomoteur n'est pas affecté par les caractéristiques musculaires. En revanche, les propriétés musculaires modifient la synergie des plans de coopération musculaire ainsi que les critères d'efficience énergétique ou neuromusculaire de la locomotion. Les trois études suivantes (3, 4 et 4bis) ont pour objectif de caractériser les effets de différentes altérations musculaires sur un exercice de locomotion. Deux méthodes sont utilisées pour générer ces altérations. La première consiste à induire une fatigue musculaire à partir de deux types de contractions (concentriques vs. excentriques) répétées des membres inférieurs (étude 3). La seconde méthode est comparative, et a pour objectif d'analyser les effets d'un exercice fatigant sur la locomotion dans deux populations dont les caractéristiques musculaires diffèrent (sujets jeunes vs. sujets âgés) (étude 4 et 4bis). Les résultats de l'étude 3 montrent, d'une part, que les altérations musculaires sont directement dépendantes du type de contraction et d'autre part, que ces altérations modifient spécifiquement le patron locomoteur. Les deux dernières études apportent deux résultats originaux. Le premier indique que l'altération des propriétés musculaires après un exercice fatigant est amplifiée lorsque les sujets présentent une déficience musculaire préalable. Le second montre que, quel que soient les caractéristiques de la fonction musculaire, le patron locomoteur est modifié de façon identique à la suite d'un exercice fatigant. Cette modification s'accompagne cependant d'une réorganisation des plans de coopération musculaire spécifique à chaque population. L'ensemble de ces travaux expérimentaux suggère que les propriétés musculaires des membres inférieurs, altérées ou non, n'influencent pas la cinématique du patron locomoteur. Toutefois, celles-ci semblent déterminer une organisation des synergies musculaires particulière pour produire le mouvement