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ORIGINAL PAPER
Effects of brief and prolonged cold application on maximal isometric handgrip strength
1
Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
2
Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile
3
Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
Submission date: 2020-04-07
Acceptance date: 2020-06-15
Publication date: 2021-11-24
Physiother Quart. 2021;29(4):1-8
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
basic scienceclinical scienceneurosciences neurology neurophysiologysport physiotherapyphysical activity and sports of handicapped
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Neuromuscular effects of cold highlight a decrease in nerve conduction velocity, which supports its analgesic impact, and muscle tone and strength reduction. However, it has been suggested that cold could increase strength with short-time applications. The study aimed to compare the effects of brief and prolonged cold application on maximal isometric handgrip strength.
Methods:
The controlled randomized clinical trial involved 112 volunteers (56 men and 56 women, mean age: 22 ± 2.1 years), randomly assigned to brief cooling group (BC, n = 36), prolonged cooling group (PC, n = 40), and control group (n = 36). BC received quick icing in anterior forearm, while PC and control group received ice pack application and no treatment, respectively. Three sessions with 3-day intervals were performed. Handgrip strength was assessed with hand-held dynamometry before and after treatment. The main outcome was maximal isometric strength difference (MISdiff).
Results:
There were statistically significant between-group differences in MISdiff in the 3 sessions (S1: p = 0.018; S2: p < 0.001; S3: p < 0.0001), showing a strength increase in BC (p < 0.0001) and decrease in PC (p = 0.025) at the end of the sessions. In addition, a post-intervention strength increase in BC was highlighted when analysing the sessions individually (S1: p = 0.0003; S2: p = 0.00147; S3: p = 0.0001).
Conclusions:
Brief cold seems a good strategy to increase maximal isometric strength, although the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms must be further studied. Brief cooling could be considered as an ergogenic low-cost support when isometry training is required. In turn, a strength decrease after prolonged cooling was observed.
Neuromuscular effects of cold highlight a decrease in nerve conduction velocity, which supports its analgesic impact, and muscle tone and strength reduction. However, it has been suggested that cold could increase strength with short-time applications. The study aimed to compare the effects of brief and prolonged cold application on maximal isometric handgrip strength.
Methods:
The controlled randomized clinical trial involved 112 volunteers (56 men and 56 women, mean age: 22 ± 2.1 years), randomly assigned to brief cooling group (BC, n = 36), prolonged cooling group (PC, n = 40), and control group (n = 36). BC received quick icing in anterior forearm, while PC and control group received ice pack application and no treatment, respectively. Three sessions with 3-day intervals were performed. Handgrip strength was assessed with hand-held dynamometry before and after treatment. The main outcome was maximal isometric strength difference (MISdiff).
Results:
There were statistically significant between-group differences in MISdiff in the 3 sessions (S1: p = 0.018; S2: p < 0.001; S3: p < 0.0001), showing a strength increase in BC (p < 0.0001) and decrease in PC (p = 0.025) at the end of the sessions. In addition, a post-intervention strength increase in BC was highlighted when analysing the sessions individually (S1: p = 0.0003; S2: p = 0.00147; S3: p = 0.0001).
Conclusions:
Brief cold seems a good strategy to increase maximal isometric strength, although the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms must be further studied. Brief cooling could be considered as an ergogenic low-cost support when isometry training is required. In turn, a strength decrease after prolonged cooling was observed.
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