Cold Vs. Heat After Exercise—Is There a Clear Winner for Muscle Soreness

Abstract

Because of the differences in the exercise type, temperature, and timing of the use of cold and heat after exercise in different studies, there is no clear conclusion as to the efficacy of either modality on reducing delayed onset muscle soreness. One hundred subjects at similar fitness levels were examined. They accomplished leg squats for 15 minutes and heat and cold were applied after or 24 hours after exercise using ThermaCare heat or cold wraps. Measurements obtained were strength, the force to passively move the knee, analog visual pain scales, and blood myoglobin. Control subjects lost 24% strength after exercise. Subjects with heat or cold just after exercise only lost 4% strength (p < 0.01). For strength recovery, cold applied after 24 hours was better than heat at 24 hours. Heat or cold applied after exercise was significantly better to prevent elastic tissue damage (p < 0.01), whereas heat and cold immediately after exercise caused no loss in muscle myoglobin and heat or cold after 24 hours showed no less muscle damage from myoglobin than in control subjects. Myoglobin in the control and heat and cold 24-hour groups averaged 135.1% of the baseline data but averaged 106.1% of baseline in the immediate heat and cold groups. For reducing pain, control subjects showed a significant amount of pain the days after exercise. But cold immediately after exercise or 24 hours later was superior to heat in reducing pain. In conclusion, both cold and heat appear to be efficacious in reducing muscle damage after exercise.

Correlation between Mechanical Properties of the Ankle Muscles and Postural Sway during the Menstrual Cycle

“…Khowailed et al (2015) studied female runners and found more laxity at the ligaments of the knee at ovulation than at menstruation. This was compensated for by increased activity of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles to stabilize the knee at ovulation during running compared with the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.…”

Changes in Muscle Contractile Properties after Cold- or Warm-Water Immersion Using Tensiomyography: A Cross-Over Randomised Trial

“…Water immersion has been used in both sports and rehabilitation for several decades and its effects on several physiological parameters, including inflammatory and metabolic markers, blood flow and nerve transmission are well-documented in the literature [3][4][5][6][7][8]. The effects of water immersion appear as thermal, mechanical and chemical effects, either alone or as mixed effects [9]. Hydrostatic pressure is associated with several changes, including a decrease in muscle activation and muscle strength as well as a fluid shift from the intracellular to the intravascular space, which may assist the process of eliminating metabolic wasting [4,7].…”

Fisioterapia Y Su Rol en El Alto Rendimiento: Una Revisión Sistemática De La Literatura

“…Otra forma es la criocámara la cual utiliza temperaturas de recuperación en promedio de -60 °C a -110 °C por un periodo de tiempo de 3 minutos (35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42). En segunda instancia, se encuentran los baños de contraste son una herramienta que al igual que la crioterapia reduce el dolor, edema, espasmos musculares y acelera la demanda metabólica para ayudar a la recuperación muscular esta se realiza con contrastes entre medios físicos calientes y fríos (43,44). En tercera instancia, la electroestimulación muscular se ha convertido en una herramienta por excelencia de recuperación, se han creado distintos aparatos que manejan corrientes específicas de recuperación muscular de fatiga y dolor este tratamiento puede ser usado durante un tiempo de 15-30 minutos (27,(45)(46)(47)(48).…”