Aug 8, 2016Recovery May Need to be Personalized
Although everyone is looking for the best strategy for recovery, the search may prove to be futile. Recent research suggests that what works for one athlete doesn’t always work as well for others. Researchers from two German universities examined recovery strategies and performance levels of top athletes to effectiveness of various types of recovery among weightlifters and members of the men’s national volleyball team.
An article from Science Daily explains that the researchers examined the athletes’ performance through motoric tests, such as jump tests, both after an intensive training session and a recovery phase. Along with the performance tests, blood tests were conducted at both time points to analyze the athletes’ creatine kinase levels as an indicator of delayed onset muscle soreness.
The athletes’ recovery strategies included active recovery with sport-specific cooling down activities, massage, relaxation, and ice baths. Although further research is planned, the study’s results suggest that individual preferences may be the best guide for recovery.
