Changes in quadriceps femoris muscle perfusion following different degrees of cold-water immersion
Chris Mawhinney, Ilkka Heinonen, David A. Low, Chunlei Han, Helen Jones, Kari K. Kalliokoski, Anna K. Kirjavainen, Jukka Kemppainen, Valter Di Salvo, Matthew Weston, N. Timothy Cable, Warren Gregson
Abstract
Using positron emission tomography, we report for the first time muscle perfusion heterogeneity in the quadriceps femoris in response to different degrees of cold-water immersion (CWI). Noxious CWI temperatures (8°C) increase perfusion in the deep quadriceps muscle, whereas superficial quadriceps muscle perfusion is reduced in cooler (15°C) water. Therefore, these data have important implications for the selection of CWI approaches used in the treatment of soft tissue injury, while also increasing our understanding of the potential mechanisms underpinning CWI.