This is a question I’ve had asked of me on numerous occasions.  It is one aspect of the professional sportsperson’s life that has been well reported in the media and has resulted in uptake by many of the amateur sporting population.  Judging by the number of times it’s been mentioned, a large portion of those doing it aren’t really sure why they are and expect it to be a one stop shop for recovery post training.

First of all the theory behind cold water immersion.  It is thought that it reduces swelling and causes blood vessels to constrict and allow blood to pool around the previously active muscles. This allows the metabolic by-products of exercise to enter the pooled blood and be removed once peripheral blood flow continues after bathing.  Another method that may help is alternating a hot and cold stimulus (easily done with a shower), otherwise known as contrast water therapy.  The intermittent mix of cold and hot water effectively switches peripheral blood flow on and off helping to ‘pump’ lactic acid and other by-products away from the muscle enhancing recovery and reducing impact of damage to the muscle.  Both have shown reductions in muscle soreness post training and recovery of markers of strength and power.

Research is inconclusive as to which method is better, if either, and different individuals may find one preferable to the other which would perhaps indicate the importance of central fatigue (theorised that the brain acts as a protective mechanism to prevent excessive damage to muscles).  Most athletes I’ve worked with have found one of the two to be of benefit and it is worth trying both to find one that works for you.  The one point to note would be that it isn’t necessary to use an ice bath and that cold water immersion at around 15°C for 10 mins has been shown to work.  Contrast therapy has been used with different protocols and some experimentation will help individualise your preferences, but 1 minute at each temperature changing 4-5 times should be a decent starting point.

The main point on recovery strategies to note is that there is no one method of recovery in the literature that works for everyone and an individualised holistic approach will most likely bring about the best results.  Good quality nutritional intake consisting of a protein and carbohydrate heavy meal/drink, preferred passive recovery method (cold water immersion, contrast immersion and massage etc.) and/or active recovery (light jog or cycle post training etc), a sound 8 hours of sleep and a nap post training if possible will likely provide excellent results.  Keep checking for a new, more detailed, piece on recovery under we believe in the near future.

In this months’ NSCA strength and conditioning journal, one piece caught my eye because it discussed an injury I’ve heard self diagnosed by more people than any other.  I am of course talking about shin splints, or medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) to give it’s full name.  Below I’ll give you the highlights from Tolbert & Binkley’s article (reference below).

The condition will usually present with a dull ache following training/competition from the middle to the distal (bottom) of the posteromedial (rear/inside) border of the tibia.  Rest will usually alleviate pain but with continued training it will become more severe.  Hamstring and heel cord tightness as well as very high or very low foot arches have been shown to be predictors of MTSS.  Other associated causes include change in footwear or worn out footwear, training continually on very hard surfaces, progression to too high an exercise intensity, muscle imbalance and an over-pronated foot position.

The paper suggests static stretching as a rehabilitative and preventative measure.  The muscles targeted should include the hamstrings and gastrocnemius and soleus, or calf muscles.  Originally tibialis posterior was thought to be the site of pain and injury with MTSS but the irritation is now thought to be consistent with the medial soleus (the inside portion of the deeper calf muscle) hence the inclusion of the calf muscles in the prescribed stretching program.  As usual, the inclusion of certain targeted exercises and a well structured periodised training program can limit the chances of developing the syndrome…consult your strength and conditioning coach for details.

• Tolbert, T.A. & Binkley, H.M. (2009).  Treatment and prevention of shin splints.  Strength and conditioning Journal, 31(5) pp. 69-72.

I opened up my copy of the UKSCA journal this weekend and read with great interest an article by Dr James Morton reviewing the literature surrounding some new training methodology for endurance athletes.  It surrounds gaining specific endurance performance adaptation by altering your pre-training nutritional status.

One of the major physiological adaptations we try to get from endurance training is an increase in cell mitochondrial mass that, without going into great detail, allows you to perform at higher intensities for longer.  The research area reviewed is finding some data to suggest that the best way to increase your mitochondrial mass is to train with reduced carbohydrate stores.  One recommendation is to utilise a training block where instead of training daily, you train twice every second day and allow the second session to be the one with reduced carbohydrate stores; perhaps using a high intensity interval session to target that adaptation.

Before you start applying this to your own sessions there are a couple of considerations.  There is no evidence to suggest that this works with resistance training.  A prolonged period of exercising with low carbohydrate stores may lead to reduced immune function and increased risk of illness and as such may require an increased intake of certain vitamins and minerals, namely vitamin C, vitamin A and zinc, to reduce this risk.  Finally, it is difficult to directly measure an increase in mitochondrial mass without removing some of your muscle, so careful thought needs to go into your testing protocol for the block.  Aside from these issues, it could add a little more variety to your training during the off season and give you great level of base conditioning on which to build towards your competitive season.