Date of Award

2014

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

Education and Human Services

First Advisor

Sparks, Kenneth

Subject Headings

Long-distance running -- Physiological aspects -- Research, Runners (Sports) -- Medical care, Leg -- Wounds and injuries -- Treatment, Pain -- Treatment -- Methods, Sports medicine, Inflammation, recovery, intermittent pneumatic compression, compression, normaTec

Abstract

The purpose was to measure the effects of intermittent pneumatic compression (NormaTec, NT) on muscle inflammation after long distance running. Methods: Ten long distance runners, five males and five females, ages 18-55 years performed two, 20 mile runs at 70 VO2 max. The runs were followed by either no treatment (control) or NT treatment for five consecutive days. For the NT run, subjects were treated for one hour immediately following the run and daily for five days after. For the control run, subjects did not receive any treatment. Serum C - reactive protein (CRP), a marker of muscle inflammation, was measured pre and post run and daily thereafter for five days for both trials. Repeated measures ANOVA and two-way ANOVA were used to assess treatment differences. Results: The results indicated no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the control and treatment runs in CRP levels. There was also no gender differences or order effect of runs. Subjective pain ratings indicated no significant difference in pain between the control and treatment runs except when comparing the first run compared to the second run (regardless of whether the first run was a treatment or control run) there was a significant difference in which the subjects experienced less pain on the second run. There was no significant difference in mean weight loss, fluid intake, sweat rate, heart rate, percentage of maximum heart rate, or percentage of maximum VO2 max. There was, however, a significant difference (P = 0.038) in running time when comparing the control run (196.2 minutes) against the treatment run (204.8 minutes). Conclusions: Although the test subjects recovered one day earlier when using the NT device (Day 4) compared to the control (Day 5), this difference was not significant

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