Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2018 Sep 1;13(8):1100-1106. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2017-0792. Epub 2018 Sep 17.
Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) is a recovery strategy whose use has increased in recent years owing to the benefits observed in the clinical setting in some cardiovascular diseases (ie, improvement of cardiovascular function). However, its claimed effectiveness for the enhancement of exercise recovery has not been analyzed in athletes. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of EECP on short-term recovery after a fatiguing exercise bout.
Twelve elite junior triathletes (16 [2] y) participated in this crossover counterbalanced study. After a high-intensity interval training session (6 bouts of 3-min duration at maximal intensity interspersed with 3-min rest periods), participants were assigned to recover during 30 min with EECP (80 mm Hg) or sham (0 mm Hg). Measures of recovery included performance (jump height and mean power during an 8-min time trial), metabolic (blood lactate concentration at several time points), autonomic (heart-rate variability at several time points), and subjective (rating of perceived exertion [RPE] and readiness to compete) outcomes.
There were no differences between EECP and sham in mean RPE or power output during the high-intensity interval training session, which elicited a significant performance impairment, vagal withdrawal, and increased blood lactate and RPE in both EECP and sham conditions (all P < .05). No significant differences were found in performance, metabolic, or subjective outcomes between conditions at any time point. A significantly lower high-frequency power (P < .05, effect size = 1.06), a marker of parasympathetic activity, was observed with EECP at the end of the recovery phase.
EECP did not enhance short-term recovery after a high-intensity interval training session in healthy, highly trained individuals.
增强型体外反搏（EECP）是一种恢复策略，近年来由于在某些心血管疾病（即改善心血管功能）的临床环境中观察到的益处，其使用有所增加。然而，其在运动员中增强运动恢复的声称有效性尚未得到分析。本研究旨在确定 EECP 在剧烈运动后短期恢复的有效性。
12 名精英初级三项全能运动员（16 [2]岁）参加了这项交叉对照研究。在高强度间歇训练（6 个 3 分钟的最大强度回合，中间间隔 3 分钟的休息时间）后，参与者被分配在 30 分钟内接受 EECP（80 毫米汞柱）或假（0 毫米汞柱）恢复。恢复测量包括表现（8 分钟计时赛期间的跳跃高度和平均功率）、代谢（几个时间点的血乳酸浓度）、自主神经（几个时间点的心率变异性）和主观（感知用力程度 [RPE] 和比赛准备）结果。
在高强度间歇训练期间，EECP 和假之间在平均 RPE 或功率输出方面没有差异，这导致了明显的性能下降、迷走神经撤退以及 EECP 和假条件下的血乳酸和 RPE 增加（所有 P <.05）。在任何时间点，两种条件下的表现、代谢或主观结果均无显着差异。在恢复阶段结束时，EECP 观察到高频功率（P <.05，效应量= 1.06）显着降低，这是副交感神经活动的标志物。
EECP 并没有增强健康、训练有素的个体在高强度间歇训练后短期恢复。
