Randomized Controlled Trial

. 2024 Sep 28;14(1):22410.

doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-72412-0.

Acute effects of cold, heat and contrast pressure therapy on forearm muscles regeneration in combat sports athletes: a randomized clinical trial

Robert Trybulski^{1

2}, Adrian Kużdżał³, Arkadiusz Stanula⁴, Jarosław Muracki⁵, Adam Kawczyński⁶, Wacław Kuczmik⁷, Hsing-Kuo Wang^{8

9}

Affiliations

¹ Provita Żory Medical Center, Żory, Poland. rtrybulski.provita@gmail.com.
² Department of Medical Sciences, The Wojciech Korfanty Upper Silesian Academy, Katowice, Poland. rtrybulski.provita@gmail.com.
³ College of Medical Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland.
⁴ Laboratory of Sport Performance Analysis, Institute of Sport Sciences, Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
⁵ Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, Department of Physical Culture and Health, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland.
⁶ Department of Paralympic Sport, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
⁷ Department and Clinic of General Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Angiology and Phlebology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
⁸ School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁹ Center of Physical Therapy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

PMID: 39333728
PMCID: PMC11437117
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-72412-0

Randomized Controlled Trial

Acute effects of cold, heat and contrast pressure therapy on forearm muscles regeneration in combat sports athletes: a randomized clinical trial

Robert Trybulski et al. Sci Rep. 2024.

. 2024 Sep 28;14(1):22410.

doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-72412-0.

Authors

Robert Trybulski^{1

2}, Adrian Kużdżał³, Arkadiusz Stanula⁴, Jarosław Muracki⁵, Adam Kawczyński⁶, Wacław Kuczmik⁷, Hsing-Kuo Wang^{8

9}

Affiliations

¹ Provita Żory Medical Center, Żory, Poland. rtrybulski.provita@gmail.com.
² Department of Medical Sciences, The Wojciech Korfanty Upper Silesian Academy, Katowice, Poland. rtrybulski.provita@gmail.com.
³ College of Medical Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland.
⁴ Laboratory of Sport Performance Analysis, Institute of Sport Sciences, Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
⁵ Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, Department of Physical Culture and Health, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland.
⁶ Department of Paralympic Sport, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
⁷ Department and Clinic of General Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Angiology and Phlebology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
⁸ School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁹ Center of Physical Therapy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

PMID: 39333728
PMCID: PMC11437117
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-72412-0

Abstract

Due to the specific loads that occur in combat sports athletes' forearm muscles, we decided to compare the immediate effect of monotherapy with the use of compressive heat (HT), cold (CT), and alternating therapy (HCT) in terms of eliminating muscle tension, improving muscle elasticity and tissue perfusion and forearm muscle strength. This is a single-blind, randomized, experimental clinical trial. Group allocation was performed using simple 1:1 sequence randomization using the website randomizer.org. The study involved 40 40 combat sports athletes divided into four groups and four therapeutic sessions lasting 20 min. (1) Heat compression therapy session (HT, n = 10) (2) (CT, n = 10), (3) alternating (HCT, n = 10), and sham, control (ShT, n = 10). All participants had measurements of tissue perfusion (PU, [non-reference units]), muscle tension (T-[Hz]), elasticity (E-[arb- relative arbitrary unit]), and maximum isometric force (Fmax [kgf]) of the dominant hand at rest (Rest) after the muscle fatigue protocol (PostFat.5 min), after therapy (PostTh.5 min) and 24 h after therapy (PostTh.24 h). A two-way ANOVA with repeated measures: Group (ColdT, HeatT, ContrstT, ControlT) × Time (Rest, PostFat.5 min, PostTh.5 min, Post.24 h) was used to examine the changes in examined variables. Post-hoc tests with Bonferroni correction and ± 95% confidence intervals (CI) for absolute differences (△) were used to analyze the pairwise comparisons when a significant main effect or interaction was found. The ANOVA for PU, T, E, and Fmax revealed statistically significant interactions of Group by Time factors (p < 0.0001), as well as main effects for the Group factors (p < 0.0001; except for Fmax). In the PostTh.5 min. Period, significantly (p < 0.001) higher PU values were recorded in the HT (19.45 ± 0.91) and HCT (18.71 ± 0.67) groups compared to the ShT (9.79 ± 0.35) group (△ = 9.66 [8.75; 10.57 CI] > MDC_(0.73), and △ = 8.92 [8.01; 9.83 CI] > MDC_(0.73), respectively). Also, significantly (p < 0.001) lower values were recorded in the CT (3.69 ± 0.93) compared to the ShT (9.79 ± 0.35) group △ = 6.1 [5.19; 7.01 CI] > MDC_(0.73). For muscle tone in the PostTh.5 m period significantly (p < 0.001) higher values were observed in the CT (20.08 ± 0.19 Hz) group compared to the HT (18.61 ± 0.21 Hz), HCT (18.95 ± 0.41 Hz) and ShT (19.28 ± 0.33 Hz) groups (respectively: △ = 1.47 [1.11; 1.83 CI] > MDC_(0.845); △ = 1.13 [0.77; 1.49 CI] > MDC_(0.845), and △ = 0.8 [0.44; 1.16 CI], < MDC_(0.845)). The highest elasticity value in the PostTh.5 m period were observed in the CT (1.14 ± 0.07) group, and it was significantly higher than the values observed in the HT (0.97 ± 0.03, △ = 0.18 [0.11; 0.24 CI] > MDC_(0.094), p < 0.001), HCT (0.90 ± 0.04, △ = 0.24 [0.17; 0.31 CI] > MDC_(0.094), p < 0.001) and ShT (1.05 ± 0.07, △ = 0.094 [0.03; 0.16 CI] = MDC_(0.094), p = 0.003) groups. For Fmax, there were no statistically significant differences between groups at any level of measurement. The results of the influence of the forearm of all three therapy forms on the muscles' biomechanical parameters confirmed their effectiveness. However, the effect size of alternating contrast therapy cannot be confirmed, especially in the PostTh24h period. Statistically significant changes were observed in favor of this therapy in PU and E measurements immediately after therapy (PostTh.5 min). Further research on contrast therapy is necessary.

Keywords: Game-ready therapy; MMA; Microcirculation; Myotonometry; Sports recovery.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

**Fig. 2**
Game Ready contrast therapy device.

**Fig. 3**
Marking the measurement point for flexor carpi radialis muscle (FCR).

**Fig. 4**
Change in Perfusion Unit for all measurement sessions in HeatT, ColdT, ContrastT and ControlT groups.

**Fig. 5**
Change in Muscle Tone for all measurement sessions in HeatT, ColdT, ContrastT and ControlT groups.

**Fig. 6**
Change in elasticity for all measurement sessions in HeatT, ColdT, ContrastT and ControlT groups.

**Fig. 7**
Change in maximum forearm muscle force for all measurement sessions in HeatT, ColdT, ContrastT and ControlT groups.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Lenetsky, S. & Harris, N. The mixed martial arts athlete: A physiological profile. Strength Cond. J.34(1), 32–47. 10.1519/SSC.0B013E3182389F00 (2012).
1. James, L. P., Haff, G. G., Kelly, V. G. & Beckman, E. M. Towards a determination of the physiological characteristics distinguishing successful mixed martial arts athletes: A systematic review of combat sport literature. Sports Med.46(10), 1525–1551. 10.1007/S40279-016-0493-1 (2016). - PubMed
1. Spanias, C., Nikolaidis, P. T., Rosemann, T. & Knechtle, B. Anthropometric and physiological profile of mixed martial art athletes: A brief review. Sport10.3390/sports7060146 (2019). - PMC - PubMed
1. Bueno, J. C. A. et al. Exploratory systematic review of mixed martial arts: An overview of performance of importance factors with over 20,000 athletes. Sport10.3390/sports10060080 (2022). - PMC - PubMed
1. Zebrowska, A., Trybulski, R., Roczniok, R. & Marcol, W. Effect of physical methods of lymphatic drainage on postexercise recovery of mixed martial arts athletes. Clin. J. Sport Med.29(1), 49–56. 10.1097/JSM.0000000000000485 (2019). - PubMed

Publication types

Actions

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
- Nature Publishing Group
- PubMed Central

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Acute effects of cold, heat and contrast pressure therapy on forearm muscles regeneration in combat sports athletes: a randomized clinical trial

Affiliations

Acute effects of cold, heat and contrast pressure therapy on forearm muscles regeneration in combat sports athletes: a randomized clinical trial

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources