Skeletal muscle microvascular adaptations following regular cold water immersion
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
International Journal of Sports Medicine
Publisher
Georg Thieme Verlag
School
Centre for Exercise and Sports Science Research / School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
30991
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of endurance training and regular post-exercise cold water immersion on changes in microvascular function. Nine males performed 3 sessionsâ™wk-1 of endurance training for 4 weeks. Following each session, participants immersed one leg in a cold water bath (10°C; COLD) for 15 min while the contra-lateral leg served as control (CON). Before and after training, microvascular function of the gastrocnemius was assessed using near-infrared spectroscopy, where 5 min of popliteal artery occlusion was applied and monitored for 3 min upon cuff release. Changes in Hbdiff (oxyhemoglobin-deoxyhemoglobin) amplitude (O-AMP), area under curve (O-AUC) and estimated muscle oxygen consumption (mVO 2) were determined during occlusion, while the reperfusion rate (R-RATE), reperfusion amplitude (R-AMP) and hyperemic response (HYP) were determined following cuff release. Training increased O-AMP (p=0.010), O-AUC (p=0.011), mVO 2 (p=0.013), R-AMP (p=0.004) and HYP (p=0.057). Significant time (p=0.024) and condition (p=0.026) effects were observed for R-RATE, where the increase in COLD was greater compared with CON (p=0.026). In conclusion, R-RATE following training was significantly higher in COLD compared with CON, providing some evidence for enhanced microvascular adaptations following regular cold water immersion.
DOI
10.1055/a-1044-2397
Access Rights
subscription content
Comments
Ihsan, M., Watson, G., Choo, H. C., Govus, A., Cocking, S., Stanley, J., & Abbiss, C. R. (2020). Skeletal muscle microvascular adaptations following regular cold water immersion. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 41(02), 98-105. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1044-2397