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.