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Int J Sports Med 2021; 42(11): 979-984
DOI: 10.1055/a-1312-6914
Originalarbeit

Post-exercise Heart Rate Variability: Whole-body Cryotherapy vs. Contrast Water Therapy

Benoît Sautillet
1   Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Amiens, France
,
Pierre Marie Leprêtre
2   Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Faculty of Sport Sciences/APERE laboratory, Amiens, France
,
Laurent Schmitt
3   National Centre of Nordic-Ski, Research and Performance, Premanon, France
,
Said Ahmaidi
2   Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Faculty of Sport Sciences/APERE laboratory, Amiens, France
,
Guillaume Costalat
2   Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Faculty of Sport Sciences/APERE laboratory, Amiens, France
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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


Publication History

Received: 23 July 2020

Accepted: 12 November 2020

Article published online:
18 March 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
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