Research and assessment Plan

Can Cryotherapy Improve the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and Performance on Elite Athletes?  

 

 

Academic and Communication Skills in Sports 

Monday 9th March 2020 

Sam McGrath 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page Break 

Introduction:  

 

This paper will focus on the relationship between professional athletes and their mood states. We will also identify as to whether cryotherapy will positively impact mood and performance. Research shows that sports can impact mood and performance and is largely influenced by public and institutional demands. According to Beedie, Terry and Lane, (2000) the impact of an athlete’s mood on their performance is maximised when situation variables are considered. These variables can include the event duration, skills, athlete level as well as peer pressure. 

 

Motl and Motl, (2008) affirms that the Profile of Mood States (POMS) method exhibits a correlation between exercise and acute mood changes. The mood referred to, consists of a host of transient, fluctuating affective states McNair, Lon; & Droppleman, (1971, 1981, 1992).  

 

Literature Review: 

 

A study consisting of eleven elite kayak athletes was implemented to identify the large affects that training and recovery will have on the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Kenttä, Hassmén and Raglin, (2006) predicted that as a result of the training performed, changes would be prevalent in all six POMS factors with significant changes to the vigour and fatigue scores. 

 

Also, the study will exhibit: 

 

· Developments of the research 

· What the results indicated 

· Whether the results confirm or dismiss the theory 

 

In comparison, a study using the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) on 576 elite athletes focussed primarily on variables such as sleep quality and precompetitive mood states immediately before a competition (Brandt, Bevilacqua and Andrade, 2017). 

 

As a result, it was identified that 51% of those elite athletes had reported good sleep quality. However, mood state results did differ significantly with regards to mental confusion, fatigue and vigour (Brandt, Bevilacqua and Andrade, 2017). 

 

The study will show: 

 

· In-depth statistics on how the results differed between gender 

· The impact of team performance versus individual performance 

· The impact of sleep on an elite athlete’s mood state 

 

To improve this study, nutrition could have been factored in, as the incorrect nutritional diet can impair the most conditioned athlete. 

 

Hypothesis: 

 

Cryotherapy will positively improve an athlete’s performance and mood state.  

 

 

 

 

Method:  

 

Mode of data collection: 

 

To test this theory, a quantitative study will be used to effectively measure and examine the data attained. An interview-based questionnaire, tailored to discover the most dominant mood states in athletes, will take place to effectively monitor how the questions are being answered. Also, further studies will include:   

Mode	Questionnaire	Data Logging	Polysomnography	Speedometer
Data	Age  Gender  Six POMS factors (Tension, Depressions, Anger, Vigor, Fatigue, Mental confusion)  RPE (Rate of perceived exertion)	RBC Count  Cryotherapy duration	Sleep	Speed

 

Focussing primarily on mood state and performance over 4 weeks, x8 100m athletes will take part, with 4 athletes receiving cryotherapy pre-and post-training. This investigation is designed to reveal the positive outcomes from the Cryotherapy, both psychologically and physiologically. The aim of finalising these scientific findings on mood state and performance, if successful, will show how influential cryotherapy is to the POMS study. 

 

Participant Information: 

 

Male and female athletes between the ages of 25-35 will participate in this study. Each athlete will have at least 3 years of elite training experience and will be taken through extensive training 10 times per week over 4 consecutive weeks. Each athlete will also receive a 3-5 minute cryotherapy session 4 times per week.  

 

The training will be as follows: 

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Session 1  (2hrs)	Strength training	Explosive power training	Agility training	REST	Strength training	Explosive Power training	REST
(1hr pre-session 2)	Cryotherapy	Cryotherapy	Cryotherapy		Cryotherapy
Session 2  (2hrs)	Speed training	Speed training	Speed training	REST	Agility and speed training	Speed training	REST

  

Method of data analysis: 

 

As the study sample is small, to better record the data, a chi-square test will be used. The statistics will be compared against both groups of athletes, including the predicted stats, paying close attention to the contrasting variables as a result of the cryotherapy. The POMS factors will be examined pre-and-post physical activity and will be conducted through an interview-based questionnaire.  

 

 

 

 

 

Results: 

 

· The results of the training completed, which include the POMS factors and the red blood cell (RBC) count will be displayed in a table. This will show patterns, relationships and trends discovered in this study. 

· The contrasting results of the athlete’s performance will be displayed using the chi-square to help display significant differences. This will help to show how one variable may be affected by another such as the frequent use of cryotherapy. 

· The results of the Polysomnography will be displayed in a linear graph. It is predicted that sleep will improve over time, therefore, a linear graph will display the gradual changes. 

 

Discussion: 

 

With these new findings, there’s a strong indication that cryotherapy will have an impact on improving POMS and performance. Research does show that cryotherapy induces significant muscle recovery, consequently improving performance. As such, this will potentially impact an athlete’s mood state positively, by increasing chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine and glutamate as an outcome of reward and accomplishment. When Cryotherapy was used during a study of patients suffering from depression, Rymaszewska et al., (2019) confirmed that mood, level of motivation and sleep quality at different time points showed a statistically significant increase in the total mean Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores after using cryotherapy.  

 

On the other hand, there are theories suggesting that sexual encounters pre-competition may harm an athlete’s mood and performance. Implementing this variable with further study would offer scientific evidence to support or deny this thesis. 

 

Therefore, the methodology could improve with more scientific evidence, focussing specifically on measuring chemicals in the brain. This form of study may offer more validity due to scientific findings. However, an increase in blood testing could result in performance depletion. 

 

As mood is such a transient state, the scope for mood changes could be limited due to the short duration of time that the athletes are monitored, especially if they are in a secluded and controlled environment. With further study, it could be more viable to consider athletes who have had recent notable life events that potentially affect their mood such as bereavement, marriage, divorce, etc enabling performance levels to be measured in real-time allowing the study to reveal whether cryotherapy could have an impact here. 

 

Conclusion: 

 

Cryotherapy has indicatively influenced performance and mood states. However, to add to this study, one could argue that the inclusion of coffee may improve performance and mood state due to increased energy. There is strong evidence for caffeine being the prime coffee constituent responsible for increased total energy expenditure. However, it is not yet clear as to whether this effect is long lasting, as short-term effects have been the primary study. Since coffee contains a multitude of compounds there are other coffee constituents that may also affect energy metabolism (Riedel et al., 2014). 

 

In addition, sexual activity has been known as a performance impediment for athletes before competition. Including abstinence throughout the study would be another added variable to consider. Research shows that performance would only be effected through a change in aggression. According to McGlone and Shrier, (2000) variables that may need to be considered for more accuracy would include motivation, alertness, and attitude towards competition. If either of those components is heightened this could lead to poor performance. Whilst sexual encounters may result in a relaxing distraction, alternatively, should this have little to no interest to the athlete, quality of sleep could be the determining factor. Consequently, this theory predicts that the outcome will depend on individual preferences and routines suggesting that consistency here is vital (McGlone and Shrier, 2000).