Effects of postexercise ice-water and room-temperature water immersion on the sensory organization of balance control and lower limb proprioception in amateur rugby players: A randomized controlled trial

The Effects of Post-Exercise Cold Water Immersion on Neuromuscular Control of Knee

To date, most studies examined the effects of cold water immersion (CWI) on neuromuscular control following exercise solely on measuring proprioception, no study explores changes in the brain and muscles. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of CWI following exercise on knee neuromuscular control capacity, and physiological and perceptual responses. In a crossover control design, fifteen participants performed an exhaustion exercise. Subsequently, they underwent a 10 min recovery intervention, either in the form of passively seated rest (CON) or CWI at 15 °C. The knee proprioception, oxygenated cerebral hemoglobin concentrations (Δ[HbO]), and muscle activation during the proprioception test, physiological and perceptual responses were measured. CWI did not have a significant effect on proprioception at the post-intervention but attenuated the reductions in Δ[HbO] in the primary sensory cortex and posterior parietal cortex (p < 0.05). The root mean square of vastus medialis was higher in the CWI compared to the CON. CWI effectively reduced core temperature and mean skin temperature and improved the rating of perceived exertion and thermal sensation. These results indicated that 10 min of CWI at 15 °C post-exercise had no negative effect on the neuromuscular control of the knee joint but could improve subjective perception and decrease body temperature.

The effect of local cold application on intradialytic cramp: A quasi-experimental study

Aims:

An intradialytic cramp, which frequently occurs in hemodialysis patients, is a disturbing condition. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of local cold applications on the severity and duration of intradialytic cramps in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Materials and Methods:

This quasi-experimental study sample comprised of 74 patients who were aged >18 years, conscious, and reported experiencing intradialytic cramps in a dialysis center. In this study, the application group had the local cold treatment as well as the treatment recommended by the physician whereas the control group was only given the treatment recommended by the physician. The cramp severity was assessed using a visual analog scale as soon as the cramp started (T1) and 10 min after the onset of the cramp (T2). The cramp duration was determined by a chronometer. The Independent Sample T-test, One-Way ANOVA test, Paired Samples T-test and the Two-Way ANOVA test were used to analyze the data.

Results:

In the study, the duration of the cramp (sd) was 9.49 (0.86) minutes in the application group and 7.51 (0.69) minutes in the control group ( t = 1791, p = 0.078). It was determined that the pain severity scores of the application and control group patients were significantly decreased at the T2 time point compared to T1 ( p = 0.001), and the effect of the group and evaluation time points on the cramp severity score was not statistically different ( p = 0.548).

Conclusion:

In this study, the mean duration of the intradialytic cramp was below 10 min for both groups. The local cold application had no effect on cramp severity or duration.

Proprioception and Flexibility Profiles of Elite Synchronized Swimmers

This study compared the full-body flexibility and joint proprioception (on land and underwater) of (a) 20 elite female synchronized swimmers (mean age ± standard deviation = 18.5 ± 1.9 years) and (b) 20 college female swim team members with no training in synchronized swimming (control participants; mean age ± standard deviation = 20.6 ± 1.3 years). Flexibility of the trunk and upper and lower limbs was measured using plastic tape and a goniometer, respectively. Joint proprioception (joint position sense) of the upper and lower limbs on land and underwater was measured by an active joint angle repositioning test. Principle outcome measures were passive joint range of motion (flexibility) and active joint repositioning error (proprioception). Multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that, compared with control swimmers, synchronized swimmers had greater passive joint ranges of motion in the spinal and upper and lower limb joints ( p < .05) and fewer active joint repositioning errors in the shoulder, wrist, and ankle on land ( p < .05) and in the hip and ankle underwater ( p < .05). These results help characterize peak synchronized swimmer capabilities, provide valuable reference details for coaches, and may be useful for talent identification and skill development in this sport.