Whole-Body Cryotherapy’s Enhancement of Acute Recovery of Running Performance in Well-Trained Athletes

<jats:sec sec-type="purpose"><jats:title>Purpose:</jats:title><jats:p>To examine the effects of a whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) protocol (3 min at –110°C) on acute recovery and key variables of endurance performance during high-intensity intermittent exercise in a thermoneutral environment.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec sec-type="methods"><jats:title>Methods:</jats:title><jats:p>Eleven endurance athletes were tested twice in a randomized crossover design in which 5 × 5 min of high-intensity running (HIR) were followed by 1 h of passive rest at ~22°C, including either 3 min of whole-body exposure to –110°C (WBC) or a placebo intervention of 3 min walking (PBO). A ramp-test protocol was performed before HIR (R1) and after the 1-h recovery period (R2). Time to exhaustion (<jats:italic>t</jats:italic><jats:sub>lim</jats:sub>) was measured along with alterations in oxygen content of the vastus lateralis (TSI), oxygen consumption (VO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>), capillary blood lactate, heart rate (HR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during submaximal and maximal running.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec sec-type="results"><jats:title>Results:</jats:title><jats:p>The difference in <jats:italic>t</jats:italic><jats:sub>lim</jats:sub> between R1 and R2 was lower in WBC than in PBO (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < .05, effect size <jats:italic>d</jats:italic> = 1.13). During R2, TSI was higher in WBC during submaximal and maximal running (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < .01, <jats:italic>d</jats:italic> = 0.68−1.01). In addition, VO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>, HR, and RPE were lower at submaximal level of R2 after WBC than in PBO (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = .04 to <.01, <jats:italic>d</jats:italic> = 0.23−0.83).</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec sec-type="conclusion"><jats:title>Conclusion:</jats:title><jats:p>WBC improves acute recovery during high-intensity intermittent exercise in thermoneutral conditions. The improvements might be induced by enhanced oxygenation of the working muscles, as well as a reduction in cardiovascular strain and increased work economy at submaximal intensities.</jats:p></jats:sec>