EFFECT OF CRYOTHERAPY ON MUSCLE SORENESS AND STRENGTH FOLLOWING ECCENTRIC EXERCISE

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a post-exercise cry otherapy protocol could facilitate recovery of elbow flexor strength a nd reduce the severity of delayed onset muscle soreness following ecce ntric exercise. Eight resistance-trained males (23 +/- 3 yr) performed 64 eccentric elbow flexions with each arm. One arm was subjected to f ive, 20 minute immersions in a 5 +/- 1 degrees C ice-water bath inters persed by 60 minute rest periods, The non-immersed arm served as the c ontrol. A main effect for time was observed for all dependent variable s (p < 0.05), Isometric torque (mean +/- SE) decreased from a preexerc ise value of 87.9 +/- 4.5 Nm to 65,2 +/- 4.5 Nm immediately post-exerc ise. Isokinetic torque at 60 and 300.s(-1) decreased from 71.0 +/- 3.5 NM and 48.4 +/- 2.8 Nm to 55.8 +/- 3.3 Nm and 39.8 +/- 3.1 Nm, respec tively. All torque measures returned to pre-test levels by 72 h. Muscl e soreness peaked 48 h post-exercise and was evident until 120 h. Limb Volume increased by 200 +/- 18 mi immediately post-exercise (p<0.05) but was not significantly elevated thereafter. No significant differen ce between the immersed and central arms were observed for any variabl e, The result suggest that the use of cryotherapy immediately followin g damaging eccentric exercise may not provide the same therapeutic ben efits commonly attributed to cryotherapy following traumatic muscle in jury.