Affiliations: [a] Athletic Training Laboratory, Department of Sports Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Gyeonggi, Korea | [b] Graduate School of Physical Education, Kyung Hee University, Gyeonggi, Korea
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Jihong Park, Athletic Training Laboratory, Department of Sports Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-daero, Giheung, Yongin, Gyeonggi 446701, Korea. Tel.: +82 31 201 2721; Fax: +82 31 204 8117; E-mail:jihong.park@khu.ac.kr
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Ankle or knee joint cooling has shown to increase
muscle activation in controlled laboratory measurements. OBJECTIVE: To examine if a bilateral 20-min lower-extremity joint
cooling alters maximal vertical jump heights over time. METHODS: Twenty-one healthy male basketball and volleyball players
participated in this cross over study. One of three conditions was assigned
for each session (ankle or knee joint cooling, or control). Subjects
performed three maximal vertical jumps with (countermovement jump: CMJ) and
without (squat jump: SJ) using muscle pre-stretching and arm swinging at
baseline and after condition (0-, 10-, 20-, and 30-min post). To test joint
cooling effects over time, we performed 3 × 5 mixed model ANOVAs and Tukey-Kramer tests. RESULTS: Both joint cooling altered CMJ heights (F8,280 = 2.29;
p= 0.02). Compared to the baseline measurements, subjects jumped lower after
condition (ankle: 4.3 cm; knee: 3.5 cm, p < 0.0001) but their jump heights
returned to the baseline levels after 10-min post-joint cooling (p > 0.16). SJ
heights did not change at any time interval (F8,280 = 1.67; p = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral joint cooling does not produce a
facilitatory effect during a high-intensity dynamic movement. Cryotherapy at
the lower extremity joints should be done ten minutes before games or
practices to avoid a performance deficit in vertical jump heights.
