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Effects of Muscle Cooling on Motor Unit Firing of the Quadriceps
Sponsor: Wake Forest University
Summary
The overall objective of this pilot study is to establish the feasibility and methodological validity of using high-density surface electromyography to characterize motor unit behavior of the quadriceps under thermoneutral and locally cooled conditions, and to generate preliminary data to inform the design of a larger, hypothesis-driven study.
Official title: Effects of Muscle Cooling on Motor Unit Firing of the Quadriceps: A Pilot Feasibility Study
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 35 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
24
Start Date
2026-01-20
Completion Date
2027-05
Last Updated
2026-02-27
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Cryotherapy
For the cold condition, an Aircast Thigh Pad (Aircast), connected to the Cryo Cuff IC cooler (DJO Global, Vista, California, USA) will be applied to the dominant thigh. The system circulates ice water maintained at approximately 10-15°C with intermittent compression. Cooling duration will be individualized based on mid-thigh skinfold thickness, consistent with published recommendations that account for the effect of subcutaneous tissue on intramuscular cooling9. Participants with a mid-thigh skinfold thickness of 0-10 mm will receive 10 minutes of cooling; those with a skinfold thickness of 11-20 mm will receive 25 minutes of cooling; those with a skinfold thickness of 21-30 mm will receive 40 minutes of cooling; and those with a skinfold thickness of 31-40 mm will receive 60 minutes of cooling. Participants will remain seated for the duration of the cooling treatment.
Locations (1)
Department of Health and Exercise Science at Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States