Post-Game Recovery, Perception and Performance

Study Title: Association between post-game recovery protocols, physical and perceived recovery, and performance in elite Australian Football League players
Authors: A. Bahnert, K. Norton & P. Lock
Journal: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
Date: 2013
.
Summary:

• Similar to my recent post on perception of recovery and performance, this study looked specifically at the associations between post-game recovery interventions chosen by players and their subsequent physical and perceptual recovery, and game performances. But in contrast to the last paper, which described a short 3-week study, the authors of this paper undertook a season long project with members (n=44) of an  Australian Football team. Allowing these elite players to be their own controls, the players participated in mandatory post-game (within 10-20 min) recovery sessions whereby the given intervention was self-chosen. The modalities included: floor stretching, pool stretching, bike active recovery, pool active recovery, cold water immersion, contrast therapy, and compression garments. Again, the athletes were permitted to utilize any of the above (plus other modalities) on each given week. Their vertical jump (5 repeated countermovement jumps) was tested weekly to assess recovery, and the athletes reported their perceptions of recovery regularly. Asked of them was their daily rating (1-5 scale) of recovery, fatigue, muscle soreness, stress levels, sleep quality and 'hardness' of the previous session/game. Perceptions of recovery were combined to form a single Recovery Index score. Also collected regularly was a coaching-staff assessment of individual player game performance on a 0-4 scale.
• Results of this study demonstrated that floor stretching, cold water immersion, and compression garments were the most utilized (preferred and self-chosen) forms of interventions while active recovery (bike or pool) were least utilized.  Additionally, those players who chose CWI, floor stretching and/or no active recovery demonstrated an increased probability of reporting greater perceptual recovery the following week. Interestingly, no association was found between the indicator of performance (vertical jump tests) and any of the recovery interventions.
• To me, this paper sheds even more light to the importance of the cognitive component of "physical preparation". Again, far too often we think of the body as a machine, yet these results show that "the mental" is what may matter most in elite sport. We all know the old adage, yet millions of dollars are still spent on technology.  This is not to say that other modalities are not important, because I do administer my MARC-PRO quite regularly, but coaching and "performance engineering" are dynamic processes, so we really should be listening to our athletes better and engaging them in the decision making process.

.
Bahnert, A., Norton, K. & Lock, P. (2013). Association between post-game recovery protocols, physical and perceived recovery, and performance in elite Australian Football League players. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Vol. 16; 151-156.
.