title: Five-day whole-body cryostimulation, blood inflammatory markers, and performance in high-ranking professional tennis players.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tournament season can provoke overreaching syndrome in professional tennis players, which may lead to deteriorated performance. Thus, appropriate recovery methods are crucial for athletes in order to sustain high-level performance and avoid injuries. We hypothesized  that whole-body cryostimulation could be applied to support the recovery process.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of 5 days of whole-body cryostimulation combined with moderate-intensity training on immunologic, hormonal, and hematologic responses; resting metabolic rate;  and tennis performance in a posttournament season.
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled laboratory study.
  
  
  METHODS
  National Olympic Sport Centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve high-ranking professional tennis  players.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants followed a moderate-intensity training program. A subgroup was treated with the 5-day whole-body cryostimulation (-120°C) applied twice a day. The control subgroup participated in the training only.  Main Outcome  Measure(s): Pretreatment and posttreatment blood samples were collected and analyzed for tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 6, testosterone, cortisol, and creatine kinase. Resting metabolic rate and performance of a tennis drill were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Proinflammatory cytokine (tumor necrosis factor α) decreased and pleiotropic cytokine (interleukin 6) and cortisol increased in the group exposed to cryostimulation. In the same group, greater stroke effectiveness during the tennis drill and faster recovery were observed. Neither the  training program nor cryostimulation affected resting metabolic rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Professional tennis players experienced an intensified inflammatory response after the completed tournament season, which may lead to overreaching. Applying whole-body cryostimulation in conjunction  with moderate-intensity training was more effective for the recovery process than the training itself. The 5-day exposure to cryostimulation twice a day ameliorated the cytokine profile, resulting in a decrease in tumor necrosis factor α and an increase in interleukin 6.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Gdańsk University of Physical Education and Sport, Kazimierza Górskiego 1, 80?336 Gdańsk, Poland. ewann@awf.gda.pl
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ziemann
authors.forename: Robert Antoni
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Olek
authors.forename: Sylwester
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kujach
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grzywacz
authors.forename: Jędrzej
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Antosiewicz
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Garsztka
authors.forename: Radosław
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laskowski
mesh_terms: D056352:Athletes; D001481:Basal Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D017679:Cryotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology; D013715:Tennis / Q000293:injuries*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013739:Testosterone; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D006854:Hydrocortisone