Muscle & Fitness UK – July 2019

JULY 2019/MUSCLE & FITNESS 117

CONTEMPORARY
RECOVERY STRATEGIES
Compression garments, used after the
event:

• Positive effect in relation to reducing
  delayed onset muscle soreness
  (DOMS)


• Roughly better for strength/power


• No real benefit re/ creatine kinase
  appearance

Hill J, Howatson G, van Someren K, et
al, Compression garments and recovery
from exercise-induced muscle damage:
a meta-analysis, British Journal of Sports
Medicine 2014;48:1340-1346.

Cryotherapy
This is based on two physiological
adaptations; (1) Vasoconstriction, so
restricting blood flow and (2) Reducing
tissue temperatures to slow the

when core temperature increases you

will slow this process. So, if muscle

damage has occurred it can take

48 hours to replenish vs 24 hours if

no damage has occurred

Solutions:

• We need 1-1.5 grams of carbs per kilo /
  per hour needed for maximum
  glycogen resynthesis immediately
  after exercise- especially if competing
  again within 4 hours! (This is less

important if we have 8-24 hours before

the next event)

• Higher rate of synthesis at lower level
  of glycogen depletion when adding
  protein


• Higher GI foods the better (therefore
  sugar quite useful)


• Glucose, fructose and creatine are
  beneficial.


• Beetroot has been shown to
  increase blood flow and therefore
  metabolic recovery (especially

for those who do repeated bouts

in a day)

• Sodium bicarbonate can aid
  recovery of Ph but can make
  bowels loose


• Good supporting evidence that cherries
  work to reduce inflammation


• Milk is an effective recovery drink

Rehydration

• We need to drink 150% of fluid lost
  before our next bout/event

SLEEP MANAGEMENT

This is pivotal!

You rebuild and repair while you sleep!

Key Facts for Sleep:

You can bank hours!

There is evidence to suggest that if a

competition or extensive travel is coming

up which could have an adverse reaction

on sleep, then increasing nighttime sleep

and napping during the week prior to the

event makes you more resilient to the

forthcoming sleep deficit. I.e. fight jet lag

by getting more sleep the week BEFORE

you travel.

There are 3 types of naps:

• Restorative: A disciplined short nap
  at a certain time of day (between
  2 and 4pm) for 30min max... AKA
  a power nap.


• Prophylactic: To prevent forthcoming
  deficit or to attack an upcoming
  jet lag.


• Appetitive: If you feel tired, have
  a nap.

Napping is an art and should be

practised and rehearsed before

competition.

The more refreshed you are, the better

you will perform.

metabolic reaction and thus diminish

the inflammatory response.

It is also an excellent method of pain

reduction.

This seems to be a constantly

fluctuating area of research but my

personal thoughts are this... IT DOES

NO HARM (when performed correctly).

The argument is simply: “Does it work?

Yes or no”.

For most athletes it has become part of

their routine and I’m sure there is a large

placebo effect in play, but supporting

studies do suggest improved recovery

times, reduction in delayed onset of

muscle soreness DOMS (especially after

metabolically challenging activities) and

reduced oxidative stress.

• Most protocols agree on standing water
  emersion ( jump in a clean wheelie bin)
  for 13 minutes at 10°C.