Combative sport is one of the most physically intense forms of exercise, yet the effect of recovery interventions has been largely unexplored. We investigated the effect of cold-water immersion on structural, inflammatory, and physiological stress biomarkers following a mixed martial arts (MMA) contest preparation training session in comparison with passive recovery. Semiprofessional MMA competitors (n = 15) were randomly assigned to a cold-water immersion (15 min at 10 °C) or passive recovery protocol (ambient air) completed immediately following a contest preparation training session. Markers of muscle damage (urinary myoglobin), inflammation/oxidative stress (urinary neopterin + total neopterin (neopterin + 7,8-dihydroneopterin)), and hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA) activation (saliva cortisol) were determined before, immediately after, and 1, 2, and 24 h postsession. Ratings of perceived soreness and fatigue, counter movement jump, and gastrointestinal temperature were also measured. Concentrations of all biomarkers increased significantly (p < 0.05) postsession. Cold water immersion attenuated increases in urinary neopterin (p < 0.05, d = 0.58), total neopterin (p < 0.05, d = 0.89), and saliva cortisol after 2 h (p < 0.05, d = 0.68) and urinary neopterin again at 24 h (p < 0.01, d = 0.57) in comparison with passive recovery. Perceived soreness, fatigue, and gastrointestinal temperatures were also lower for the cold-water immersion group at several time points postsession whilst counter movement jump did not differ. Combative sport athletes who are subjected to impact-induced stress may benefit from immediate cold-water immersion as a simple recovery intervention that reduces delayed onset muscle soreness as well as macrophage and HPA activation whilst not impairing functional performance.

AbstractCold water immersion is thought to reduce the inflammatory response to injury. Using cultured mononuclear cells and human subjects in a mixed martial arts (MMA) contest, we examined the effect of cryotherapy on 7,8-dihydroneopterin and neopterin generation. Urine was collected from 10 elite male mixed martial artists before, immediately post and 1, 2, 24 and 48 h following a contest. Myoglobin was analysed by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography, and urinary neopterin and total neopterin (neopterin+7,8-dihydroneopterin) were measured by strong cation exchange high-performance liquid chromatography. Cold water immersion and passive recovery were compared using changes in these markers, while cryotherapy tested total neopterin production in γ-interferon and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-stimulated blood-derived mononuclear cells (monocytes/T cells). Myoglobin significantly increased (p<0.05) at 1 h post-contest, neopterin significantly increased at 1 and 24 h (p<0.05), total neopterin significantly increased (p<0.05) at 1 h post for the passive group only, and significant individual variation was observed for all markers (p<0.01). Cold water immersion attenuated total neopterin production (p<0.05), while cryotherapy significantly reduced total neopterin production in PMA-stimulated mononuclear cells (p<0.01). Cryotherapy attenuates the post-exercise inflammatory response following an MMA contest. The evidence also suggests that the mechanisms responsible for this may be related to direct immune cell suppression.

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