Effect of cold water immersion on the recovery of cardiac autonomic ner-vous system function in young female soccer players after heavy training sessions
Objective To investigate the effect of cold water immersion(CWI)on the recovery of the cardiac autonomic nervous system(ANS)function in young female soccer players after heavy training sessions.Methods Fifteen young female soccer players under the age of 18 from Shanghai who were active from July to August 2020 were selected to participate in two heavy training sessions with the same content every other week using a randomized crossover own-control method.The CWI group and the passive rest(CON)group were categorized based on post-exercise recovery measures.The exercise loads were compared between the two groups.A POLAR V800 heart rate monitor was used to record heart rate variability data(standard deviation of normal to normal RR intervals[SDNN],root mean square of difference between successive normal RR intervals[RMSSD],high-frequency normalized unit[HFnu],low-frequency normalized unit[LFnu],low frequency/high frequency,LF/HF)at four time points,pre-exercise(T 0),5 min post-exercise(T1),immediately post-intervention(T2),and 21 h post-exercise(T3).The MT-SportsP100 soccer sport monitoring and analysis system was used to collect training load data.Results There were no significant differences in running distance,average heart rate,and maximum heart rate between the two groups(P>0.05).The SDNN and RMSSD values at T1 in the CON group were lower than those at T0,at T2 were higher than those at T0,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05);the SDNN and RMSSD values at T1 of the CWI group were lower than those of T0,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in SDNN and RMSSD values between the two groups at T0,T1,and T3(P>0.05),and the SDNN and RMSSD values at T2 of the CWI group were lower than those of the CON group,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).The value of HFnu in the two groupat T1 was lower than that at T0,and the value of LFnu and LF/HF were higher than those at T0,the differences were statistically significant s(P<0.05);there were no significant differences between HFnu,LF/HF and LFnu at T2 and T3 in the two groups compared with thoset at T0(P>0.05).Conclusion CWI performed a short time after heavy load training inhibits parasympathetic rebound and may be detrimental to cardiac ANS adaptation.
Autonomic nervous systemHeart rate variabilityCold water immersionRecoveryExercise