title: Muscle, skin and core temperature after -110°c cold air and 8°c water treatment.
abstract: The aim of this investigation was to elucidate the reductions in muscle, skin and core temperature following exposure to -110°C whole body cryotherapy (WBC), and compare these to 8°C cold water immersion (CWI). Twenty active male subjects were randomly assigned to a 4-min exposure of WBC or CWI. A minimum of 7 days later subjects were exposed to the other treatment. Muscle temperature in the right vastus lateralis (n=10); thigh skin (average, maximum and minimum) and rectal temperature (n=10) were recorded before and 60 min after treatment. The greatest reduction (P<0.05) in muscle (mean ± SD; 1 cm: WBC, 1.6 ± 1.2°C; CWI, 2.0 ± 1.0°C; 2 cm: WBC, 1.2 ± 0.7°C; CWI, 1.7 ± 0.9°C; 3 cm: WBC, 1.6 ± 0.6°C; CWI, 1.7 ± 0.5°C) and rectal temperature (WBC, 0.3 ± 0.2°C; CWI, 0.4 ± 0.2°C) were observed 60 min after treatment. The largest reductions in average (WBC, 12.1 ± 1.0°C; CWI, 8.4 ± 0.7°C), minimum (WBC, 13.2 ± 1.4°C; CWI, 8.7 ± 0.7°C) and maximum (WBC, 8.8 ± 2.0°C; CWI, 7.2 ± 1.9°C) skin temperature occurred immediately after both CWI and WBC (P<0.05). Skin temperature was significantly lower (P<0.05) immediately after WBC compared to CWI. The present study demonstrates that a single WBC exposure decreases muscle and core temperature to a similar level of those experienced after CWI. Although both treatments significantly reduced skin temperature, WBC elicited a greater decrease compared to CWI. These data may provide information to clinicians and researchers attempting to optimise WBC and CWI protocols in a clinical or sporting setting.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Physical Activity and Health Research, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick, Ireland. joseph.t.cos@gmail.com
authors.forename: Joseph Thomas
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Costello
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Culligan
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Selfe
authors.forename: Alan Edward
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Donnelly
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D003080:Cold Temperature; D017679:Cryotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007101:Immersion; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D012677:Sensation; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D013848:Thigh / Q000502:physiology; D014867:Water; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014867:Water