Cryocompression Therapy for Recovery from Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Healthy Young Men

Background: Cryocompression, an emerging therapy combining cryotherapy and compression therapy, has limited evidence regarding its effects on recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage. Methods: This study aimed to compare the effects of cryotherapy (CT), normothermic water compression (NWC), and cryocompression (CC) on muscle damage, proprioception, and performance following eccentric exercise. Forty healthy male participants performed 30 sets of 10 maximal isokinetic eccentric contractions (30°/s) of the quadriceps of the non-dominant leg. Muscle damage indicators [thigh circumference (CIR), muscle soreness measured by visual analog scale (VAS)], proprioception [position sense (PS), force sense (FS)], and performance parameters [range of motion (ROM), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC)] were assessed before and on days 1–5 following eccentric exercise. Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc tests was used to evaluate group × time interactions. Results: Significant interactions were observed for CIR between the CT, NWC and CC groups compared to the control group, as well as for VAS scores between the CC and CON groups (p < 0.05). No other outcome measures showed significant interactions (p > 0.05). The control group showed a peak CIR increase of ~6.6 mm (day 3) versus 2.4 mm (CT), 3.6 mm (NWC), and 2.1 mm (CC). By day 5, the control group remained elevated at 5.2 mm, while CT returned to baseline by day 4. NWC and CC groups showed no significant changes on days 1–5. VAS scores in the CON group peaked at ~77 mm on day 2, not returning by day 5, whereas the CC group reached 48 mm and returned to baseline by day 3. Conclusion: Cryocompression reduced limb swelling and muscle soreness, as well as post-exercise-induced muscle damage, and NWC mitigated limb swelling, but none significantly affected proprioception or performance parameters.