AEA RC T Registr y

The American Economic Association's registry for randomized controlled trials

Study Design: Experimental Controlled Laboratory Study
Objective: To assess the effects of cryotherapy on muscular fatigability of the biceps brachii (BB) muscle after a fatiguing exercise.
Background: Cryotherapy has been widely used in clinical sports practice to prevent Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and its known consequences on muscular function: pain, fatigue, reduced capacity to generate force and a reduced performance. Evidence is limited regarding the myolectrical manifestations of fatigue after the use of cryotherapy.
Methods: 50 subjects were randomized into two groups: cryotherapy (CRYO) and a control (CONT). Both groups were exposed to a fatiguing concentric-eccentric exercise protocol of the BB muscle. Immediately after the protocol, a -17°C cold pack was applied over the BB muscle in the CRYO group for 20 minutes. A 22°C cold pack was applied as a placebo intervention to the control group. Pain, time to task failure, myoelectrical manifestations of fatigue, and swelling were assessed before, 1h and 24h after the exercise protocol.
Results: There were no significant differences between groups in any of the outcome measurements. However, within group comparisons showed significantly lower holding time and higher levels of pain at 1h assessment in the CONT group. Myoelectrical manifestations of fatigue behaved similarly in both groups.
Conclusion: Cryotherapy seems to reduce the mechanical effects of fatigue and seems to prevent the excessive increase in pain in the first few hours after a fatiguing protocol. However, no effect on myoletrical manifestations of fatigue were observed.