In collaboration with the TSG ResearchLab, the department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise (lead Ross Julian) conducted a research project, investgating the acute effects of blood flow restriction exercise in combination with a cooling intervention. Over twenty subjects completed a randomised-control trial exposing themselves to three different conditions. The main aim of the study was to determine the acute physical, physiological and cognitive effects following a repeated sprint protocol in each of the conditions (control, blood flow restriction & blood flow restriction and cooling). The subjects conducted the exercise on the VASPER device, which is a recumbent cross-trainer, with integrated blood flow restriction and cooling (at 7 degrees). As has been previously determined, the use of blood flow restriction training has been shown to provide a greater physical and physiological stimulus at the same relative or lesser intensities (Pignanelli et al., 2021). However, this technique has often been associated with discomfort during exercise, muscle soreness and damage (immediatley after and days following exercise) (Curty et al., 2018). Due to the analgesic and increasing recovery effects of cooling (Poppendieck et al., 2013), it was hypothesised that the inclusion of cooling should provide a similar physiological stimulus without the negative aspects such as muscle damage.
With data collection now concluded, the team are working hard to determine whether cooling might mitigate the negative aspects of blood flow restriction, meaning using such a tool could be adventageous for teams such as TSG Hoffenheim for pre-season conditioning or rehabilitation/return to fitness following injury.