Effects of local cold applications to leg muscles and knee joint on 30-m sprint performance
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Abstract
BACKGROUND. Purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of local cold application (LCA) to leg muscles and knee joint on 30-m sprint performance. Differently from other studies, we applied local cold by isolating the muscles of gastrocnemius, quadriceps, hamstring and joint of knee. METHODS. Participants who are male and female with no joint or muscle disease volunteered for the study. Sprint tests without a pre-cooling and with LCA of four anatomical regions were performed in random order for each region in different days. In each test session, participants performed a 30-m sprint test without pre-cooling initially. Then after fifteen minutes of LCA the sprint test was repeated. 161 participants joined the 1st test with LCA to gastrocnemius muscles. 129 participants joined the 2nd test with LCA to quadriceps muscles. 122 participants joined the 3rd test with LCA to hamstring muscles. 129 participants joined the 4th test with LCA to knee joints. 73 participants joined all of the four test. RESULTS. 30-m sprint times were significantly increased according to applied LCA in all test (P< 0,01), which means 30-m sprint performances decreased. After LCA to gastrocnemius, hamstring, quadriceps muscles and knee joint, 30-m sprint performances significantly deteriorated (P< 0,01) by 0,150ss (3,3%), 0,154ss (3,4%), 0,163ss (3,6%) and 0,182ss (4,1%) respectively. CONCLUSIONS. Our results show that LCA decreased sprint performance at different rates. During sporting events, injured athletes often return to competition after LCA because of the reduction in pain. In this case should it be noted that sprint performance may decrease according to the applied regions of cold at different rates.