Effectiveness of Recovery Strategies after Training and Competition in Endurance Athletes - an Umbrella Review

Abstract

Background Recovery strategies are used to enhance performance and reduce injury risk in athletes. In previous systematic reviews, individual recovery strategies were investigated to clarify their effectiveness for mixed groups of athletes. However, the current evidence is ambiguous, and a clear overview of (training) recovery for endurance athletes is still lacking. Methods We conducted an umbrella review based on a literature search in PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Web of Science. Reviews published in English and before December 2022 were included. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were eligible if they investigated the effectiveness of one or more recovery strategies compared with a placebo or control group after a training session in endurance athletes. Results Twenty-two reviews (nine systematic reviews, three meta-analyses, and ten systematic reviews with meta-analyses included) met the inclusion criteria. In total, sixty-three studies with 1100 endurance athletes were included in our umbrella review. Out of the sixty-three studies, eight provided information on training recovery time frame for data synthesis. Among them, cryotherapy and compression garments showed positive effects, while applying massage showed non-effect. In general, none of the included recovery strategies showed consistent beneficial effects for endurance athletes. Conclusion There is not a particular recovery strategy that can be advised to enhance recovery between training sessions or competitions in endurance athletes. However, individual studies suggest that compression garments and cryotherapy are effective training recovery strategies. Further research should improve methodology and focus on the different time courses of the recovery process. Registration The review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews with the number CRD42021260509.

Deloading Practices in Strength and Physique Sports: A Cross-Sectional Survey

“…A wide variety of approaches to addressing recovery have featured throughout the literature, including "active" recovery methods utilising submaximal activity to expedite a shift from stress-induced physiologic disturbance towards physiologic stability through restorative movement [47], and "passive" methods including massage techniques, cryotherapy and compression garments and devices that aim to facilitate regeneration through external stimulation [48]. Recently, "proactive" recovery strategies such as breathing techniques and other self-initiated methods have also been discussed [49] and have gained popular interest outside of the literature. Interestingly, data supporting the use of recovery techniques appears to be ambiguous however, with literature suggesting that techniques such as massage [50], cryotherapy and compressions garments might offer some bene t [51], that stretching [52] and foam rolling [53] might not, and that active recovery strategies might offer some psychological advantage despite physiologic and performance bene ts not being certain [47].…”

“…Interestingly, data supporting the use of recovery techniques appears to be ambiguous however, with literature suggesting that techniques such as massage [50], cryotherapy and compressions garments might offer some bene t [51], that stretching [52] and foam rolling [53] might not, and that active recovery strategies might offer some psychological advantage despite physiologic and performance bene ts not being certain [47]. What is clear is that recovery is a complex, multifaceted psychobiological process and that no unitary marker exists that adequately encompasses its aetiologic multiplicity [49,51]. Indeed, future work might need to explore similarly complex recovery interventions that purposely attend to performance, physiological, and perceptual recovery markers either in combination or sequence relevant to their time course of decay.…”