AUTHOR=Zinner Christoph , Born Dennis-Peter , Sperlich Billy 

TITLE=Ischemic Preconditioning Does Not Alter Performance in Multidirectional High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2017

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2017.01029

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2017.01029

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=Purpose: Research dealing with ischemic preconditioning (IPC) has primarily focused on variables associated to endurance performance with little research about the acute responses of IPC on repeated sprint performance. Here we aimed to investigate the effects of IPC of the arms and the legs on repeated-sprint performance with changes-of-direction (COD) movements. 
Methods: The thirteen moderately-to-well-trained team-sport athletes (7 males; 6 females; age: 24 ± 2 years, size: 175 ± 8 cm, body mass: 67.9 ± 8.1 kg) performed 16 x 30m all-out sprints (15 sec rest) with multi-directional COD movements (in every direction and various angles) on a Speedcourt© with either IPC (3 x 5 min) of the legs (IPCleg; 240 mmHg) or of the arms (remote IPC: IPCremote; 180-190 mmHg) 45 min before the sprints and a control trial (CON; 20 mmHg). 
Results: The mean (± SD) time for the 16 x 30 m multi-directional COD sprints was similar between IPCleg, IPCremote, and CON (p=0.50). No differences in oxygen uptake, heart rate nor muscle oxygen saturation of the vastus lateralis and biceps brachii between the three conditions were evident. 
Conclusions: IPC (3 x 5 min) of the legs (220 mmHg) or arms (180-190 mmHg; remote IPC) applied 45 min before 16 x 30 m repeated multidirectional sprint exercise does not improve sprint performance, oxygen uptake, heart rate nor muscle oxygen saturation of the vastus lateralis and biceps brachii muscle when compared to control trial.