Project description

Numerous factors can influence sport performance in athletes. Recovery strategies and methods are essential to optimize the restoration of physical performance after an exhausting exercise or a competition, but they should also be considered as critical components of the training process to maximize long-term training adaptations. This project investigates recovery after exercise and methods aiming to optimize the restoration of physical performance and promote long-term training adaptations. Our integrative approach combines functional tests, measures of subjective recovery, biological analyses (blood and saliva samples, muscle biopsies), and in-vitro experiments. Examples of topics addressed within the frame of this project are:

• Effect of different types of water therapy (e.g. cold water and hot water immersion) on recovery and training adaptations in endurance athletes and elite football players.
• Effect of changes in muscle temperature on muscle contractility and fatigability.
• Effect of changes in temperature on anabolic response in human muscle cells (in-vitro approach).
• Effect of recovery time between bouts of mechanically-demanding exercise (drop jumps) on recovery of muscle force and acute changes in muscle gene expression.
• Effects of carbohydrate supplementation and restriction after exhausting exercise on recovery of muscle force and acute changes in muscle gene expression.