ECSS Paris 2023: CP-PN23
INTRODUCTION: There is significant importance in identifying effective recovery strategies following intense bouts of exercise in order to maintain training quality, support adherence to progressive exercise programs, and meet health and performance guidelines. High-intensity exercise places substantial acute stress on the neuromuscular system and may temporarily impair physical performance. One post-exercise recovery method that has gained increasing attention in recent years is the use of compression-based modalities, which are thought to enhance recovery primarily by increasing blood flow. While previous evidence suggests that compression pneumatic compression devices (PCD) may influence recovery, their effectiveness following short-duration, high-intensity exercise remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of lower-limb pneumatic compression on recovery following an intense exercise bout, compared with a sham condition. METHODS: This study employed a randomized crossover design comparing a real pneumatic compression device (PCD) intervention with a sham treatment. Thirty trained, healthy young adults (12 men, 18 women; age 26.2 ± 4.5 years) completed two laboratory sessions separated by 1–2 weeks. In each session, participants performed a Wingate test to induce acute fatigue through a short-duration, maximal effort, followed by 20 minutes of either PCD treatment (80 mmHg, sequential squeezing mode) or sham treatment using the same sleeves without inflation. Horizontal jump performance, heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were assessed before and after the recovery intervention. Delayed-onset muscle soreness was self-reported 24 h post-exercise. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in maximal horizontal jump performance between the PCD and sham conditions before and after the intervention. A strong main effect of sex was observed (p < 0.001), with higher jump performance in men, but no sex-specific response to the intervention. Heart rate demonstrated a significant main effect of time (p = 0.004), with similar responses in the PCD and sham conditions. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed no significant changes before and after the intervention in either condition. Self-reported muscle soreness was reported by 4 of 30 participants following the sham condition, with no reports following the PCD condition. CONCLUSION: Lower-limb pneumatic compression did not enhance short-term recovery following an intense exercise bout compared with sham treatment in healthy young adults.
Read CV Carine Lazarowitz ZanzuriECSS Paris 2023: CP-PN23
INTRODUCTION: leep is a fundamental component of recovery in elite swimming, yet it is often compromised by early training hours. Given that Grand Prix events in Poland serve primarily as domestic ranking meets rather than primary qualification events, they potentially involve lower psychological pressure than major championships. The aim of this study was to compare objective sleep parameters between regular training days and a national-level competition in high-performance swimmers. METHODS: Eighteen national and international level swimmers (8 females, 10 males; age 21 ± 4 years, World Aquatics points 763 ± 114, 576-940) were monitored using ActiGraph GT3X-BT sensors. Sleep was assessed during two 5-day training periods (10 days total) and throughout two Grand Prix events (4 competition days total). Parameters included total sleep time (TST), sleep latency, sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset (WASO), and sleep fragmentation index (SFI). Statistical analysis employed Linear Mixed Models (LMM) with participant ID as a random effect. Effect sizes were reported as partial eta squared (η²p) and Cohen’s d. RESULTS: LMM analysis revealed significant shifts in sleep duration during the competition phase. TST increased significantly (F₍₁,₁₂₅₎ = 107.77, p < 0.001, η²p = 0.356, d = 1.488) from 358 min (95% CL: 340–376) during training to 439 min (95% CL: 419–459) during Grand Prix. This 81-minute gain was driven by a significant delay in wake-up times (07:01 vs 05:08, p < 0.001), despite a slightly later bedtime during competition (22:43 vs 22:23, p = 0.001). Sleep latency was significantly lower during Grand Prix compared to training (2 min vs 4 min, F₍₁,₄₈₎ = 6.43, p = 0.012, d = 0.363). WASO significantly increased during competition (58 min vs 43 min, F₍₁,₂₃₎ = 30.25, p < 0.001, d = 0.790). Efficiency (88%) remained stable. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that swimmers experience significant sleep restriction during training phases due to early morning sessions. The removal of these sessions during Grand Prix events allowed athletes to extend their sleep duration by 81 minutes. The lower latency and increased TST during competition suggest that when the competitive pressure is relatively low and the schedule permits later wake-up times, swimmers can achieve durations closer to recommended guidelines. These findings highlight that standard training routines may be more restrictive to sleep than the competitive environment itself.
Read CV Olga SurałaECSS Paris 2023: CP-PN23
INTRODUCTION: Peak performance in team sport is targeted to specific competitive phases, yet physiological characteristics of successful competitive peaking remain poorly defined in applied settings. Despite widespread use of athlete monitoring, few longitudinal studies have integrated biomarker and perceptual recovery responses across an entire competitive season in real-world team sport environments. This study examined longitudinal changes in inflammatory, metabolic, and perceptual recovery responses to standardized training across preseason, in-season, and peak phases. METHODS: Twenty-two female collegiate rowers (18–23 y) completed testing during preseason, in-season, and peak phases defined by coaching staff. At each phase, athletes performed a standardized training bout (2 × 5 km). Capillary blood was collected at rest, immediately post-exercise, and 24 h post to assess lactate and C-reactive protein (CRP). Saliva was collected for lactate dehydrogenase activity (LDH). Perceived recovery status and rating of fatigue scales were collected pre- and post-exercise at each phase. Longitudinal mixed-effects models evaluated phase-dependent responses. RESULTS: A significant phase × time interaction was observed for lactate (p < 0.001), demonstrating season phase-dependent differences in acute metabolic recovery kinetics. No phase × time interaction was observed for CRP (p = 0.57), although a phase trend was present (p = 0.075). LDH demonstrated a main effect of time (p = 0.03) but no phase interaction. Perceived recovery and fatigue demonstrated main effects of exercise state (both p < 0.001) and phase × state interactions (recovery p = 0.007; fatigue p < 0.001), indicating season-dependent perceptual recovery responses to standardized training stress. CONCLUSION: Competitive season progression was associated with coordinated adaptations in metabolic and perceptual recovery dynamics. Faster lactate recovery and phase-specific perceptual responses suggest efficient resolution of acute training stress and represent a defining physiological feature of successful competitive peaking in team sport. Recovery optimization observed during the peak competitive phase, coinciding with maximal team performance outcomes, supports integrated biomarker and perceptual monitoring as a practical framework for contextualizing performance readiness and informing training decisions during critical competitive periods. Rapid restoration of acute training stress may represent a defining physiological characteristic of successful competitive peaking in team sport athletes.
Read CV Morgan SmithECSS Paris 2023: CP-PN23