The effect of 8-weeks of resistance training and cold water immersion on muscle damage and inflammation responses following acute resistance training in futsal players men

The effect of resistance training and cold water immersion on muscle injury and inflammation is not clear. The aim of this study was to study the effect of 8-weeks resistance training and cold water immersion on muscle injury and inflammation responses following an acute strength activity in futsal players men.

Twenty futsal players (age 26±3.07 years and body mass index 24±3.40 kg/m2) volunteered to participate in the study and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. After first blood sampling, both groups performed one session of acute circular resistance training with 75% of 1-RM at 5 stations, 3 sets, 8-10 repetitions, and a 90-second rest between sets and a 5-minute rest between stations. The second blood sampling was performed after 48 hours. The experimental group performed 8 weeks of circular resistance training, 3 sessions per week like the acute resistance training and immediately after exercise were immersed, 20 minutes at 5-10°C in cold water. Forty eight hours after last training session, blood sampling was performed. Then, both experimental and control groups performed the second acute circular resistance training and one hour later, the fourth blood sampling was performed. The differences of variables at different time intervals were compared with 2×4 two-way ANOVA and Independent samples t-test at p < 0.05. Cearitine kinase (CK) was measured with Iran Alpha Classic Autoanalyzer and Bionic kit; while white blood cells (WBC) count and their subclasses were measured with BC-3000 hematologic auto analyzer and China Mindry kit. The differences between the variables at different times were analyzed by 4* 2 two-way ANOVA and the differences between the two groups were determined by independent t-test at p < 0.05.

CK (p=0.001), WBC and neutrophils (p=0.001) significantly were increased in both groups after the first acute resistance training. After 8 weeks of resistance training-cold water immersion CK (p=0.004), WBC, neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes (p=0.001) significantly decreased in experimental group as compared to the control group. 8 weeks resistance training-cold water immersion significantly decreased CK, WBC, neutrophils (p=0.001), and lymphocytes (p=0.004) in experimental group following the second acute resistance training compared to the control group. Whereas, there was no significant differences in monocytes (p < 0.05).

Resistance training along with cold water immersion could reduce muscle damage and inflammation following acute exercise.