The effect of three different (-135°C) whole body cryotherapy exposure durations on elite rugby league players
Selfe J, Alexander J, Costello JT, May K, Garratt N, Atkins S, Dillon S, Hurst H, Davison M, Przybyla D, Coley A, Bitcon M, Littler G, Richards J
PloS one · 55 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- University or hospital
- University of Central Lancashire
Based on 1 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2014-01-29 · PLoS One · vol. 9 · issue 1 · p. e86420
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science
- Cited
- 5 citations · more than 69% of similar papers · 0.6× the field average
- References
- 33 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Exercise and Physiological Responses · Thermoregulation and physiological responses · Infrared Thermography in Medicine
- Keywords
- Medicine, Cryotherapy, Skin temperature, Core temperature, Thermal sensation, Oxygenation, Surgery, Anesthesia, Thermal comfort, Biomedical engineering
- MeSH
- muscle, skeletal, humans, oxyhemoglobins, interleukin-6, cryotherapy, cross-over studies, skin temperature, football, male, cold temperature, young adult, thermosensing
14 authors
From GB, AU
- James SelfeUniversity of Lancashire
- Jill Alexander · correspondingUniversity of Lancashire
- Joseph T. CostelloQueensland University of Technology
- Karen MayUniversity of Lancashire
- Nigel GarrattUniversity of Lancashire
- Stephen J. AtkinsUniversity of Lancashire
Abstract
Background
Whole body cryotherapy (WBC) is the therapeutic application of extreme cold air for a short duration. Minimal evidence is available for determining optimal exposure time.
Purpose
To explore whether the length of WBC exposure induces differential changes in inflammatory markers, tissue oxygenation, skin and core temperature, thermal sensation and comfort.
Method
This study was a randomised cross over design with participants acting as their own control. Fourteen male professional first team super league rugby players were exposed to 1, 2, and 3 minutes of WBC at -135°C. Testing took place the day after a competitive league fixture, each exposure separated by seven days.
Results
No significant changes were found in the inflammatory cytokine interleukin six. Significant reductions (p<0.05) in deoxyhaemoglobin for gastrocnemius and vastus lateralis were found. In vastus lateralis significant reductions (p<0.05) in oxyhaemoglobin and tissue oxygenation index (p<0.05) were demonstrated. Significant reductions (p<0.05) in skin temperature were recorded. No significant changes were recorded in core temperature. Significant reductions (p<0.05) in thermal sensation and comfort were recorded.
Conclusion
Three brief exposures to WBC separated by 1 week are not sufficient to induce physiological changes in IL-6 or core temperature. There are however significant changes in tissue oxyhaemoglobin, deoxyhaemoglobin, tissue oxygenation index, skin temperature and thermal sensation. We conclude that a 2 minute WBC exposure was the optimum exposure length at temperatures of -135°C and could be applied as the basis for future studies.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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