DOI of the published article https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541241227527
Recovery Management In Sport
Overview And Outcomes Of A Nine-Year Multicenter Research Program
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51224/SRXIV.374Keywords:
Training Load, Training Effects, Fatigue, Training Monitoring, Competition Monitoring, Training Plan, Recovery Strategies, Recovery Interventions, Recovery Techniques, Recovery Methods, Athlete, RegenerationAbstract
The nine-year multicenter research project, titled REGman – Optimization of Training and Competition: Management of Regeneration in Elite Sports – aimed to advance the understanding of recovery management in sports and generate practical recommendations. In this article, we outline the overarching research program that links the specific research strands and outputs during the two federal funding cycles (2012-2021) and summarize the main project findings. The two-stage conceptual framework involved investigating monitoring measures for short-term fatigue and recovery, as well as assessing the efficacy of various recovery interventions. These interventions encompassed psychological relaxation and recovery strategies, sleep, cooling techniques like precooling, percooling, cold water immersion, or whole-body cryotherapy, compression garments, active recovery, stretching, heating interventions such as sauna or contrast water therapy, massage, and foam rolling. The findings revealed inconclusive or marginal effects of recovery interventions at the group level, while indicating possible interindividual differences in responses. Additionally, the findings highlighted the effectiveness of diverse monitoring measures, showing satisfactory sensitivity in tracking performance changes related to fatigue and recovery. The use of individualized reference ranges significantly improved classification accuracy compared to group-based reference ranges. Athletes and coaches are encouraged to prioritize fundamental aspects of training and recovery: meticulous training planning and execution, effective sleep management, and proper nutrition. Furthermore, monitoring and analyzing individual responses, even though it demands suitable methodologies and presents challenges in high-performance sports environments, can yield valuable insights for personalized recovery management. If these aspects are comprehensively addressed, and resources allow, additional recovery strategies might be explored.
Metrics
References
Jeffries AC, Marcora SM, Coutts AJ, et al. Development of a revised conceptual framework of physical training for use in research and practice. Sports Med 2022; 52: 709–24.
Impellizzeri FM, Marcora SM, and Coutts AJ. Internal and external training load: 15 years on. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2019; 14: 270–3.
Halson SL. Monitoring training load to understand fatigue in athletes. Sports Med 2014; 44: 139–147.
Meyer T, Kellmann M, Ferrauti A, et al. Die Messung von Erholtheit und Regenerationsbedarf im Fußball [The measurement of recovery and regeneration requirements in football]. Dtsch Z Sportmed 2013; 64: 28–34.
de Paula Simola RÁ, Harms N, Raeder C, et al. Tensiomyography reliability and prediction of changes in muscle force following heavy eccentric strength exercise using muscle mechanical properties. Sports Technol 2015; 8: 58–66.
Kölling S, Wiewelhove T, Raeder C, et al. Sleep monitoring of a six-day microcycle in strength and high-intensity training. Eur J Sport Sci 2016; 16: 507–515.
Kölling S, Endler S, Ferrauti A, et al. Comparing subjective with objective sleep parameters via multisensory actigraphy in German physical education students. Behav Sleep Med 2016; 14: 389–405.
Skorski S, Hammes D, Schwindling S, et al. Effects of training-induced fatigue on pacing patterns in 40-km cycling time trials. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2015; 47: 593–600.
Wiewelhove T, Raeder C, Meyer T, et al. Markers for routine assessment of fatigue and recovery in male and female team sport athletes during high-intensity interval training. PLoS One 2015; 10: e0139801.
Hammes D, Skorski S, Schwindling S, et al. Can the Lamberts and Lambert Submaximal Cycle Test indicate fatigue and recovery in trained cyclists? Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2016; 11: 328–336.
Hecksteden A, Skorski S, Schwindling S, et al. Blood-borne markers of fatigue in competitive athletes – results from simulated training camps. PLoS One 2016; 11: e0148810.
Hecksteden A, Leidinger P, Backes C, et al. miRNAs and sports: tracking training status and potentially confounding diagnoses. J Transl Med 2016; 14: 219.
Raeder C, Wiewelhove T, de Paula Simola RÁ, et al. Assessment of fatigue and recovery in male and female athletes after 6 days of intensified strength training. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(12): 3412–3427.
Hecksteden A, Pitsch W, Julian R, et al. A new method to individualize monitoring of muscle recovery in athletes. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2017; 12: 1137–1142.
Hitzschke B, Wiewelhove T, Raeder C, et al. Evaluation of psychological measures for the assessment of recovery and stress during a shock-microcycle in strength and high-intensity interval training. Perform Enhanc Health 2017; 5: 147–157.
Julian R, Meyer T, Fullagar HHK, et al. Individual patterns in blood-borne indicators of fatigue – trait or chance. J Strength Cond Res 2017; 31: 608–619.
Nässi A, Ferrauti A, Meyer T, et al. Psychological tools used for monitoring training responses of athletes. Perform Enhanc Health 2017; 5: 125–133.
Schneider C, Hanakam F, Wiewelhove T, et al. Heart rate monitoring in team sports—a conceptual framework for contextualizing heart rate measures for training and recovery prescription. Front Physiol 2018; 9: 639.
Hof zum Berge A, Kellmann M, Kallweit U, et al. Portable PSG for sleep stage monitoring in sports: assessment of SOMNOwatch plus EEG. Eur J Sport Sci 2020; 20: 713–721.
Kölling S, Ferrauti A, Meyer T, et al. Modification and applicability of questionnaires to assess the recovery-stress state among adolescent and child athletes. Front Physiol 2019; 10: 1414.
Schneider C, Wiewelhove T, Raeder C, et al. Heart rate variability monitoring during strength and high-intensity interval training overload microcycles. Front Physiol 2019; 10: 582.
Schneider C, Wiewelhove T, McLaren SJ, et al. Monitoring training and recovery responses with heart rate measures during standardized warm-up in elite badminton players. PLoS One 2020; 15: e0244412.
Barth V, Käsbauer H, Ferrauti A, et al. Individualized monitoring of muscle recovery in elite badminton. Front Physiol 2019; 10: 778.
de Paula Simola RÁ, Raeder C, Wiewelhove T, et al. Muscle mechanical properties of strength and endurance athletes and changes after one week of intensive training. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2016; 30: 73–80.
Hacker S, Reichel T, Hecksteden A, et al. Recovery-stress response of blood-based biomarkers. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18: 5776.
Hitzschke B, Holst T, Ferrauti A, et al. Entwicklung des Akutmaßes zur Erfassung von Erholung und Beanspruchung im Sport [Development of the Acute Recovery and Stress Scale for sports]. Diagnostica 2016; 62: 212–226.
Hof zum Berge A, Ferrauti A, Meyer T, et al. Portable polysomnography for sleep monitoring in elite youth rowing: an athlete’s gain or the sleep’s thief? Transl Sports Med 2021; 4: 289–296.
Hof zum Berge A, Kellmann M, Loch F, et al. Validierung des Fragebogens zum Schlafverhalten von Sportlerinnen und Sportlern [Validation of the German version of the Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire]. Z Sportpsychol 2022; 29: 84–94.
Kölling S, Schaffran P, Bibbey A, et al. Validation of the Acute Recovery and Stress Scale (ARSS) and the Short Recovery and Stress Scale (SRSS) in three English-speaking regions. J Sports Sci 2020; 38: 130–139.
Skorski S, Pitsch W, Barth V, et al. Individualised reference ranges for markers of muscle recovery assessment in soccer. Eur J Sport Sci 2022; 23: 1–9.
Hof zum Berge A, Loch F, Schwarzenbrunner K, et al. Assessment of sleep quality and daytime sleepiness in German national ice hockey players preparing for the world championship. Ger J Exerc Sport Res 2021; 51: 94–101.
Hitzschke B, Kölling S, Ferrauti A, et al. Entwicklung der Kurzskala zur Erfassung von Erholung und Beanspruchung im Sport (KEB) [Development of the Short Recovery and Stress Scale for sports]. Z Sportpsychol 2015; 22: 146–162.
Kölling S, Hitzschke B, Holst T, et al. Validity of the Acute Recovery and Stress Scale: training monitoring of the German Junior National Field Hockey Team. Int J Sports Sci Coach 2015; 10: 529–542.
Nässi A, Ferrauti A, Meyer T, et al. Development of two short measures for recovery and stress in sport. Eur J Sport Sci 2017; 17: 894–903.
Kellmann M, Kölling S and Hitzschke B. Das Akutmaß und die Kurzskala zur Erfassung von Erholung und Beanspruchung im Sport: Manual [The Acute Measure and the Short Scale of Recovery and Stress for Sports - manual]. Hellenthal: Sportverlag Strauß, 2016.
Kellmann M and Kölling S. Recovery and stress in sport: a manual for testing and assessment. 1st ed. New York: Routledge, 2019.
Kellmann M and Kölling S. Das Akutmaß und die Kurzskala zur Erfassung von Erholung und Beanspruchung für Erwachsene und Kinder/Jugendliche[The Acute Measure and the Short Scale of Recovery and Stress for Adults and Children/Adolescents]. Hellenthal: Sportverlag Strauß, 2020.
de Paula Simola RÁ, Harms N, Raeder C, et al. Assessment of neuromuscular function after different strength training protocols using tensiomyography. J Strength Cond Res 2015; 29: 1339–1348.
Raeder C, Wiewelhove T, Westphal-Martinez MP, et al. Neuromuscular fatigue and physiological responses after five dynamic squat exercise protocols. J Strength Cond Res 2016; 30: 953–965.
Wiewelhove T, Fernandez-Fernandez J, Raeder C, et al. Acute responses and muscle damage in different high-intensity interval running protocols. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2016; 56: 606–615.
Poppendieck W, Faude O, Wegmann M, et al. Cooling and performance recovery of trained athletes: a meta-analytical review. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2013; 8: 227–242.
Meyer T, Wegmann M, Poppendieck W, et al. Regenerative interventions in professional football. Sports Orthop Traumatol 2014; 30: 112–118.
Fullagar HHK, Duffield R, Skorski S, et al. Sleep and recovery in team sport: current sleep-related issues facing professional team-sport athletes. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2015; 10: 950–957.
Kölling S, Ferrauti A, Pfeiffer M, et al. Sleep in sports: a short summary of alterations in sleep/wake patterns and the effects of sleep loss and jet-lag. Dtsch Z Sportmed 2016; 67: 35–38.
Pelka M, Heidari J, Ferrauti A, et al. Relaxation techniques in sports: a systematic review on acute effects on performance. Perform Enhanc Health 2016; 5: 47–59.
Pelka M, Kölling S, Ferrauti A, et al. Acute effects of psychological relaxation techniques between two physical tasks. J Sports Sci 2017; 35: 216–223.
Pelka M, Ferrauti A, Meyer T, et al. How does a short, interrupted recovery break affect performance and how is it assessed? A study on acute effects. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2017; 12: 2114–2121.
Poppendieck W, Wegmann M, Ferrauti A, et al. Massage and performance recovery: a meta-analytical review. Sports Med 2016; 46: 183–204.
Wiewelhove T, Raeder C, Meyer T, et al. Effect of repeated active recovery during a high-intensity interval-training shock microcycle on markers of fatigue. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2016; 11: 1060–1060.
Raeder C, Wiewelhove T, Schneider C, et al. Effects of active recovery on muscle function following high-intensity training sessions in elite olympic weightlifters. Adv Skelet Muscle Funct Assess 2017; 1: 3–12.
Schimpchen J, Wagner M, Ferrauti A, et al. Can cold water immersion enhance recovery in elite olympic weightlifters? An individualized perspective. J Strength Cond Res 2017; 31: 1569–1576.
Zinner C, Pelka M, Ferrauti A, et al. Responses of low and high compression during recovery after repeated sprint training in well-trained handball players. Eur J Sport Sci 2017; 17: 1304–1310.
Wiewelhove T, Schneider C, Döweling A, et al. Effects of different recovery strategies following a half-marathon on fatigue markers in recreational runners. PLoS One 2018; 13: e0207313.
Kölling S, Duffield R, Erlacher D, et al. Sleep-related issues for recovery and performance in athletes. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2019; 14: 144–148.
Loch F, Ferrauti A, Meyer T, et al. Resting the mind – a novel topic with scarce insights. Considering potential mental recovery strategies for short rest periods in sports. Perform Enhanc Health 2019; 6: 148–155.
Skorski S, Schimpchen J, Pfeiffer M, et al. Effects of postexercise sauna bathing on recovery of swim performance. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2019; 15: 1–7.
Wiewelhove T, Döweling A, Schneider C, et al. A meta-analysis of the effects of foam rolling on performance and recovery. Front Physiol 2019; 10: 376.
Loch F, Hof Zum Berge A, Ferrauti A, et al. Acute effects of mental recovery strategies after a mentally fatiguing task. Front Physiol 2020; 11: 558856.
Schmidt J, Ferrauti A, Kellmann M, et al. Recovery from eccentric squat exercise in resistance-trained young and master athletes with similar maximum strength: combining cold water immersion and compression. Front Physiol 2021; 12: 665204.
Wiewelhove T, Thase C, Glahn M, et al. Repeatability of the individual response to the use of active recovery the day after high-intensity interval training: a double-crossover trial. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2021; 16: 1160–1168.
Wiewelhove T, Conradt F, Rawlins S, et al. Effects of in-play cooling during simulated tennis match play in the heat on performance, physiological, and perceptual measures. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2021; 61: 372–379.
Wiewelhove T, Szwajca S, Busch M, et al. Recovery during and after a simulated multi-day tennis tournament: combining active recovery, stretching, cold-water immersion, and massage interventions. Eur J Sports Sci 2022; 22: 973–984.
Loch F, Ferrauti A, Meyer T, et al. Acute effects of mental recovery strategies in simulated air rifle competitions. Front Sports Act Living 2023; 5: 1087995.
Wiewelhove T, Schneider C, Schmidt A, et al. Active recovery after high-intensity interval-training does not attenuate training adaptation. Front Physiol 2018; 9: 415.
Poppendieck W, Wegmann M, Hecksteden A, et al. Does cold-water immersion after strength training attenuate training adaptation? Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2021; 16: 304–310.
Hottenrott L, Ketelhut S, Schneider C, et al. Age- and sex-related differences in recovery from high-intensity and endurance exercise: a brief review. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2021; 16: 752–762.
Kölling S, Steinacker JM, Endler S, et al. The longer the better: sleep-wake patterns during preparation of the World Rowing Junior Championships. Chronobiol Int 2016; 33: 73–84.
Kölling S, Treff G, Winkert K, et al. The effect of westward travel across five time zones on sleep and subjective jet-lag ratings in athletes before and during the 2015’s World Rowing Junior Championships. J Sports Sci 2017; 35: 2240–2248.
Collette R, Kellmann M, Ferrauti A, et al. Relation between training load and recovery-stress state in high-performance swimming. Front Physiol 2018; 9: 845.
Fullagar HHK, Duffield R, Skorski S, et al. Sleep, travel, and recovery responses of national footballers during and after long-haul international air travel. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2016; 11: 86–95.
Fullagar HHK, Skorski S, Duffield R, et al. Impaired sleep and recovery after night matches in elite football players. J Sports Sci 2016; 34: 1333–1339.
Meyer T, Ferrauti A, Kellmann M, et al. Regenerationsmanagement im Spitzensport: REGman – Ergebnisse und Handlungsempfehlungen [Regeneration management in elite sports – results and recommendations]. Köln: Sportverlag Strauß, 2016.
Meyer T, Ferrauti A, Kellmann M, et al. Regenerationsmanagement im Spitzensport (Teil 2): REGman – Ergebnisse und Handlungsempfehlungen [Regeneration management in elite sports (Part 2) – results and recommendations]. Wuppertal: Mumbeck, 2020.
Strotkötter C, Bach L, Bechtsis D, et al. REGmon: A web application for athlete monitoring in sport practice and research. Preprint, 2023.
Impellizzeri FM and Marcora SM. Test validation in sport physiology: lessons learned from clinimetrics. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2009; 4: 269–277.
Thorpe RT. Post-exercise recovery: cooling and heating, a periodized approach. Front Sports Act Living 2021; 3: 707503.
Kwiecien SY and McHugh MP. The cold truth: the role of cryotherapy in the treatment of injury and recovery from exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 2021; 121: 2125–2142.
McGorm H, Roberts LA, Coombes JS, et al. Turning up the heat: an evaluation of the evidence for heating to promote exercise recovery, muscle rehabilitation and adaptation. Sports Med 2018; 48: 1311–1328.
Haralambie G and Senser L. Metabolic changes in man during long-distance swimming. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1980; 43: 115–125.
Symanski JD, McMurray RG, Silverman LM, et al. Serum creatine kinase and CK-MB isoenzyme responses to acute and prolonged swimming in trained athletes. Clin Chim Acta 1983; 129: 181–187.
Ihsan M, Abbiss CR and Allan R. Adaptations to post-exercise cold water immersion: friend, foe, or futile? Front Sports Act Living 2021; 3: 714148.
Machado AF, Almeida AC, Micheletti JK, al. Dosages of cold-water immersion post exercise on functional and clinical responses: a randomized controlled trial. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2017; 27: 1356–1363.
Versey N, Halson S and Dawson B. Effect of contrast water therapy duration on recovery of cycling performance: a dose–response study. Eur J Appl Physiol 2011; 111: 37–46.
Vromans BA, Thorpe RT, Viroux PJ, et al. Cold water immersion settings for reducing muscle tissue temperature: a linear dose-response relationship. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2019; 59: 1861–1869.
Machado AF, Ferreira PH, Micheletti JK, et al. Can water temperature and immersion time influence the effect of cold water immersion on muscle soreness? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med 2016; 46: 503–514.
Naylor AS, Edwards BJ and Robertson CM. Effects of treatment dosage of whole‐body cryotherapy upon post‐match recovery of endocrine and biochemical markers in elite rugby league players: An experimental study. Health Sci Rep 2023; 6: e1227.
Atkinson G and Batterham AM. True and false interindividual differences in the physiological response to an intervention. Exp Physiol 2015; 100: 577–588.
Atkinson G, Williamson P and Batterham AM. Issues in the determination of ‘responders’ and ‘non‐responders’ in physiological research. Exp Physiol 2019; 104: 1215–1225.
Hecksteden A, Kraushaar J, Scharhag-Rosenberger F, et al. Individual response to exercise training - a statistical perspective. J Appl Physiol 2015; 118: 1450–1459.
Ross R, Goodpaster BH, Koch LG, et al. Precision exercise medicine: understanding exercise response variability. Br J Sports Med 2019; 53: 1141–1153.
Downloads
Posted
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Thimo Wiewelhove, Christoph Schneider, Michael Kellmann, Mark Pfeiffer, Tim Meyer, Alexander Ferrauti (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
