The effect of lower limb occlusion on recovery following sprint exercise in academy rugby players.

OBJECTIVES

The effects of vascular occlusion on recovery of physiological and neuromuscular markers over 24h, and hormonal reactivity to subsequent exercise were investigated.

DESIGN

Counterbalanced, randomised, crossover.

METHODS

Academy rugby players (n=24) completed six 50-m sprints (5-min inter-set recovery) before occlusion cuff application (thighs) and intermittent inflation to 171-266mmHg (Recovery) or 15mmHg (Con) for 12-min (two sets, 3-min repetitions, 3-min non-occluded reperfusion). Countermovement jumps, blood (lactate, creatine kinase), saliva (testosterone, cortisol), and perceptual (soreness, recovery) responses were measured before (baseline) and after (post, +2h, +24h) sprinting. Saliva was sampled after a 30-min resistance exercise session performed 24h after sprinting.

RESULTS

Although sprinting (total: 40.0±2.8s, p=0.238; average: 6.7±0.5s, p=0.674) influenced creatine kinase (p<0.001, +457.1±327.3μL-1, at 24h), lactate (p<0.001, 6.8±2.3mmolL-1, post), testosterone (p<0.001, -55.9±63.2pgmL-1, at 2h) and cortisol (p<0.001, -0.3±0.3μgdL-1, at 2h) concentrations, countermovement jump power output (p<0.001, -409.6±310.1W; -5.4±3.4cm, post), perceived recovery (p<0.001, -3.0±2.3, post), and muscle soreness (p<0.001; 1.5±1.1, at 24h), vascular occlusion had no effect (all p>0.05) on recovery. In response to subsequent exercise performed 24h after vascular occlusion, testosterone increased pre-to-post-exercise (Recovery: p=0.031, 21.6±44.9pgmL-1; Con: p=0.178, 10.6±36.6pgmL-1) however Δtestosterone was not significantly different (p=0.109) between conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

Vascular occlusion had no effect on physiological or neuromuscular markers 2h or 24h after sprinting or in response to a physical stress test.