Research Appraisals
Evidence-based critical appraisals of the latest medical research, systematically evaluated using Oxford CEBM methodology.
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PloS one
Short-duration phase-change material cryotherapy selectively enhances early neuromuscular and perceptual recovery.
The purpose of this study was to examine whether short-duration phase-change material cooling (PCM) applied at different temperatures influences acute recovery following fatigue induced by stretch-shortening cycle exercise (SSC). Sixty-four physically active participants were randomly assigned to 5°C, 10°C, or 15°C PCM cryotherapy group or a passive recovery control group. After completing a SSC fatigue protocol, participants underwent a 15-minute PCM intervention, and peak torque (PT), mean power, rate of force development (RFD), countermovement jump (CMJ) performance, Rating of perceived exertion (RPE), modified endurance ratio (MER), vastus lateralis (VL) and Rectus Femoris (RF) stiffness were assessed immediately after fatigue (Imm-fatigue), immediately after PCM cryotherapy (Imm-PCM), and 60 minutes post PCM cryotherapy (Post60-PCM). Mean power and RFD were significantly greater in PCM groups compared with the control group at Imm-PCM (P ≤ 0.01), with mean power remaining elevated in the 15°C PCM group at post-60-PCM (P ≤ 0.05). RPE was significantly lower in all PCM groups at Imm-PCM and post60-PCM compared with control (P ≤ 0.01). No between-group differences were observed for PT, CMJ, MER, or muscle stiffness, and no temperature-dependent effects were detected within the 5-15 °C. These findings indicate that 15-minute PCM cryotherapy selectively accelerates early-phase neuromuscular and perceptual recovery without affecting maximal strength, endurance capacity, or passive muscle mechanical properties. From an applied perspective, PCM cryotherapy may be an effective strategy to enhance explosive performance and perceived readiness during short recovery intervals in training or competition settings.
27 Apr 2026
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Effect of different velocity loss thresholds during a resistance training program on jump and sprint performances in trained female athletes
This study aimed to explore the effects of velocity-based resistance training (VBT) using different velocity loss (VL) thresholds on jump and sprint performance in trained female athletes. Fifteen college-level female basketball players completed an 8-week VBT program (2 sessions/week), involving parallel back squats performed at a target mean propulsive velocity of 0.7 m/s. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: VL10% (n = 8) and VL20% (n = 7), where training sets were terminated when the target velocity-loss threshold was exceeded for the second time within the same set. Performance tests, including one-repetition maximum (1RM), squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and 20-m sprint (SP20) with split times recorded at 5 m (SP5) and 10 m (SP10), were conducted pre- and post-intervention. The VL10% group showed significant improvements in SJ (p = 0.048, d = 1.30), SP10 (p = 0.004, d = 0.62), SP20 (p = 0.002, d = 0.67), and 1RM (p = 0.002, d = 0.29). The VL20% group also showed improvements in SP10 (p = 0.004, d = 0.42), SP20 (p = 0.002, d = 0.56), and 1RM (p = 0.002, d = 0.62), although SJ did not significantly improve. Despite no significant interaction effects, effect sizes suggest possible differences that require verification in adequately powered trials. VBT using low VL thresholds may be useful for maintaining movement velocity with lower training volume; however, between-group differences were not statistically significant and CMJ did not show clear improvement. Larger-scale studies are needed to confirm these trends.
14 Apr 2026
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