The Effect of Three Different (-135°C) Whole Body Cryotherapy Exposure Durations on Elite Rugby League Players

Abstract

BackgroundWhole body cryotherapy (WBC) is the therapeutic application of extreme cold air for a short duration. Minimal evidence is available for determining optimal exposure time.PurposeTo explore whether the length of WBC exposure induces differential changes in inflammatory markers, tissue oxygenation, skin and core temperature, thermal sensation and comfort.MethodThis 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.ResultsNo 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.ConclusionThree 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.

Anthropometric Characteristics and Sex Influence Magnitude of Skin Cooling following Exposure to Whole Body Cryotherapy

“…Core temperature has previously been shown to display a predictable relationship with T sk following WBC [8] and this would be an interesting area for future study in order to further explain the findings reported here. Further research using a measure of core temperature such as a rectal probe or temperature-sensitive ingestible capsule would be needed to make those comparisons, which were not available for this study.…”

Cooling interventions for athletes: An overview of effectiveness, physiological mechanisms, and practical considerations

“…Additionally, another study demonstrated that 5 d of cryotherapy (−110°C for 2 min) after a normal daily training program (3 hours) in highly trained athletes induced an increase in anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 and a decrease in the pro-inflammatory interleukin-8 and interleukin-2, suggesting that cryotherapy improves recovery after exercise by reducing the inflammatory response 72 . In contrast, 2 minutes of cryotherapy (−135°C) did not impact on plasma interleukin-6 levels after a competitive elite rugby match 73 . Although the effects of cryotherapy on the inflammatory response were not consistent, post-exercise cryotherapy seems to attenuate inflammatory response after exercise.…”

Partial‐body cryotherapy (−135°C) and cold‐water immersion (10°C) after muscle damage in females

“…Subjective and objective recovery variables, used to quantify recovery of EIMD, are delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS), reduced maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), vertical jump performance (VJP), and muscle swelling . Non‐invasive measures such as muscle oxygen saturation (SmO 2 ), cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and skin temperature have been used to explain the possible blood flow and temperature‐induced physiological effects of cooling on recovery …”