Abstract
High-intensity training sessions are known to alter cardiac
autonomic modulation. The purpose of this study was to
compare the effects of whole-body cryotherapy, contrast
water therapy and passive recovery on the time course of
cardiac autonomic markers following a standardized HIT
session. Eleven runners completed a high intensity session
followed by one of the following recovery interventions:
whole-body cryotherapy, contrast water therapy or passive
recovery. Changes in cardiac autonomic modulation were
assessed in supine and standing positions during an active
tilt test at pre-, post-14 h and post-38 h. In supine,
high-frequency power increased from pre- to post-14 h
following whole-body cryotherapy (1661.1±914.5 vs.
2799.0±948.4 ms2, respectively; p=0.023) and
contrast water therapy (1906.1±1327.9 vs. 4174.3±2762.9
ms2, respectively; p=0.004) whereas high
frequency power decreased in response to passive recovery
(p=0.009). In standing, low-frequency power increased from
pre-to post-38 h (1784.3 ± 953.7 vs.
3339.8±1862.7 ms2, respectively; p=0.017)
leading to an increase in total power from pre- to post-38 h
(1990.8 ± 1089.4 vs. 3606.1±1992.0 ms2,
respectively; p=0.017). Spectral analysis revealed that
contrast water therapy appears to be a more efficient
recovery strategy than whole-body cryotherapy in restoring
cardiac autonomic homeostasis.
Key words
recovery strategy - cryotherapy - contrast water therapy - cardiac autonomic homeostasis