Post-exercise Therapeutic Modalities on Functional Performance, Muscle Damage and Oxidative Stress of CrossFit® Athletes

Overview

Crossfit® is a training modality that consists in functional movements, constantly varied and executed at high intensity. Both training sessions and competitions involve physically demanding activities, which in addition to being performed at very high intensity also involves the aerobic metabolism pathway. These characteristics led to very high metabolic and muscular stress, as well as decrease in physical performance immediately after competitions and training sessions. The cumulative effects of the metabolic and muscular stress can be a precursor of injuries. Studies using different therapeutic modalities aiming to improve post-exercise recovery are needed in order to tackle this issue. Oxidative stress induced by exercise has been a research field in constant growth, due to its relationship with the processes of fatigue, decreased production of muscle strength, and its ability to cause damage to the cell. To the date there are no studies comparing the effects of different therapeutic modalities applied after an exercise session on functional performance, muscle damage, and oxidative stress in an exercise modality such as Crossfit®. Therefore, the aim of this project is to assess and compare the effects of different therapeutic modalities on functional performance, muscle damage, and oxidative stress of Crossfit® athletes.

A randomized, crossover, controlled trial will be carried out. All volunteers will be allocated to four interventions, and the order of the interventions will be randomized. The outcomes will be assessed at baseline (prior to the Workout of the Day - WOD), and in different timepoints after the WOD. The WOD will be consisted in finishing as quickly as possible a sequence of three exercises (Calories in Assault AirBike®, Hang Squat Clean and Box Jump Over), in a well-known series model for the athletes, without rest. The investigators will analyze functional performance, biochemical markers of muscle damage and oxidative stress, the ratings of perceived exertion, and the volunteers satisfaction with the interventions. All data will be analyzed both in their absolute values and in relation to their percentage variation from the values obtained in the pre-WOD (baseline) assessments.