Document Type
Honors Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor in Human Performance
Date of Award
Spring 4-11-2014
Abstract
Cryotherapy is commonly used in sport and performance applications however primarily as a means for improved recovery. Intermittent cooling during competition may contribute to improved performance by modifying perceptual or physiological stress. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of intermittent cooling (IC) versus no cooling (NC) through the course of a collegiate basketball game in a thermoneutral environment. METHODS: Eight healthy, (age, 22 ± 1 year, height, 186.7 ± 7.1 cm, weight 93.4 ± 10.1 kg) competitively-trained collegiate basketball players participated in a randomized and counterbalanced repeated measures protocol. Participants performed in 3 simulated games. Each trial was separated by a 24-hour recovery period to best simulate tournament-style play. Measurements of heart rate (HR), core temperature (Tc), rating of perceived recovery (RPR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded every 4 minutes in a thermoneutral environment (20.9 ± 0.7 C°). Data was collected every 4 minutes to simulate the current NCAA collegiate basketball game play. Tc data were analyzed using a two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA, treatment x time) to test the significance of mean differences after each 4-minute interval. As non-parametric data, frequency distributions were analyzed for subjective measures (RPR RPE). Both subjective measures were re-coded and evaluated by a related-samples Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that cooling decreased HR during IC when compared to NC but were not significantly different (NC = 126 ± 7 bpm, C = 123 ± 9 bpm, p = 0.26), Tc (IC = 38.1 C°, ± 0.5, NC = 38.2 C° ± 0.6, p = 0.23). However, RPR was the only measurement significantly improved with IC when compared to NC. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Though intermittent cooling did not significantly attenuate a rise in core temperature or working heart rate, results suggest cooling could aid subjective recovery and decrease perceived exertion during collegiate basketball performance in a thermoneutral environment.
Recommended Citation
Phelps, Taylor, "The Effects of Cooling on Collegiate Basketball Player’s Core Temperature, Heart Rate, Rating of Perceived Recovery and Rating of Perceived Exertion" (2014). Honors Theses. 182.
https://lair.etamu.edu/honorstheses/182
