Effects of Partial-Body Cryotherapy on Athletic Performance
5-Day application may help upper-body muscular-endurance.
This study investigated the short-term effects of partial-body cryotherapy (PBC) on athletic performance and sleep quality in Division I collegiate basketball athletes. The researchers aimed to determine whether five consecutive days of PBC after training would enhance performance metrics and improve sleep quality compared to a control condition without cryotherapy.
Key Points
Aim
The study focused on elite male collegiate basketball players.
It tested the impact of 5 days of post-exercise PBC on six standardised basketball performance tests and both subjective and objective sleep quality.
The hypothesis was that PBC might improve recovery, thereby enhancing performance and sleep.
Methods
Twelve male Division I basketball athletes participated in a randomised crossover design.
Participants underwent two 5-day treatment periods: one with PBC (exposure to −110 to -196℃ for up to 3 minutes post-training) and one control period without PBC.
Athletic performance tests included: max repetitions of 75-kg bench press, max pull-ups, vertical jump height, 10-yard sprint, 3/4 court sprint, and lane agility test.
Sleep quality was assessed subjectively via validated questionnaires (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale) and objectively via actigraphy (measuring total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and wake after sleep onset).
Statistical analyses used linear mixed models and repeated measures ANOVA.
Related
Results
The only significant improvement in athletic performance after PBC was in the number of pull-ups (increased from 9.2 ± 4.59 to 11.9 ± 4.77 reps, p < 0.05).
No significant changes were observed in bench press repetitions, sprint times, vertical jump height, or agility tests.
Neither subjective sleep quality scores nor objective sleep parameters showed improvement after PBC exposure.
The study suggests that a short-term (5-day) PBC protocol has limited benefits on physical performance and no measurable effect on sleep quality in these athletes.
Practical Takeaways
Short-term partial-body cryotherapy may help increase upper-body muscular endurance (pull-ups) but does not enhance other key performance metrics such as strength, speed, or power.
PBC does not appear to improve sleep quality when applied for only five days post-exercise.
Athletes and coaches should be cautious about expecting broad performance or recovery benefits from brief PBC interventions.
Longer or different cryotherapy protocols might be necessary to observe more pronounced effects; further research is needed.
Summary
This study found that five consecutive days of partial-body cryotherapy after training sessions substantially increase pull-up performance but do not improve other basketball-specific performance measures or sleep quality in Division I collegiate players. While PBC may have some role in recovery, its short-term application shows limited ergogenic or sleep benefits. Future research should explore longer durations or different protocols to fully understand PBC’s potential in athletic recovery and performance enhancement.
Reference
Kim, T.-J., Ha, K.-H., Park, T.-Y., Kim, J.-H., Lee, J.-M., & Jung, H. C. (2025). Effects of Partial-Body Cryotherapy on Athletic Performance and Sleep Quality in Division I Collegiate Basketball Athletes. Journal of Human Kinetics, 96, 187–194. https://ppl-ai-file-upload.s3.amazonaws.com/web/direct-files/333810/7680eef2-8d3d-495b-92e6-f2a6ff6020a4/jhk-2025-96-13.pdf