The Acute Effects Of Ischemic Preconditioning On Short-duration Cycling: A Randomized Crossover Study.
Year: 2024
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: PURPOSE: There is recent interest from coaches and athletes regarding ischemic preconditioning (IPC) as an effective way to enhance competitive outcomes. Regarding cycling specifically, the impact of IPC remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of IPC treatment for improving athletic performance during short-duration cycling. METHODS: After the exclusion and inclusion criteria, there were 11 volunteers for the 3-minute cycling time trial (TT) and 13 volunteers for the 6-minute cycling TT. All volunteers were competitive endurance athletes. The IPC treatment consisted of three alternating cycles of 5 minutes of 100% occlusion followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion to each leg. The sham treatment consisted of three alternating cycles of 1 minute of 100% occlusion followed by 1 minute of reperfusion to each leg. RESULTS: The main findings were that IPC significantly improved (p < 0.05) power output during 3-minute (4.22%) and 6-minute (2.29%) cycling TT relative to a sham. Additionally, about one-third of our participants required a tourniquet pressure higher than 220 mmHg to achieve 100% occlusion. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate ischemic preconditioning, administered bilaterally as three rounds of 5 minutes of total occlusion and ensuing reperfusion 20 minutes before a cycling TT, significantly enhanced average power output. Additionally, it is critical for practitioners to ensure adequate occlusion pressure as many athletes will require a greater occlusion pressure than the standard 220 mmHg applied to the upper thigh. IDeA grant P20GM103443
Authors: Shane D. Scholten, Cassidy R. Nelson, Colten R. Brand, Matthew R. Chitty, Chad B. Birger
Language: English
Subfield: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4367320823