ABSTRACK
Fajar, Muhammad Kharis Fajar. 2024. The Effect of Icefit (Ice Compression Enhancement For Fitness) Application on Recovery of Heart Rate, IL-6, and Fatigue Index in Athletes After Speed Endurance Training . Dissertation, Doctoral Program in Sports Science, Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences, Universitas Negeri Surabaya. Promotor: (I) Prof. Dr. Agus Hariyanto, M.Kes.,
Co-Promotor (II) Dr. Endang Sri Wahjuni, M.Kes.
Key words : Icefit, Heart Rate, IL-6, Fatigue Index, Speed Endurance
High-intensity physical exercise performed continuously can increase inflammatory biomarkers, contributing to athlete fatigue. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is the primary biomarker for inflammation, correlating with increased muscle fatigue. This study aims to develop a fatigue management strategy through inflammation management using a new method called Ice Compression For Fitness (ICEFIT).
The fatigue indicators measured include IL-6 levels, heart rate, and the results of the Repeated Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST). This method is expected to lower body temperature and minimize fatigue by reducing inflammatory activity in athletes. The study employs a Randomized Control Group Pretest-Posttest design with 32 soccer athletes meeting the inclusion criteria, divided into two groups: 16 athletes in the control group undergoing speed endurance training (SET) and 16 athletes in the treatment group receiving SET and ICEFIT intervention.
The ICEFIT intervention involves ice compression applied to the neck, back, and waist after training. Normality tests showed that all data were normally distributed (p > 0.05). Significant differences were observed in heart rate, IL-6 levels, and RAST results before and after training within each group (p < 0.05). Additionally, significant differences were found in the changes in heart rate, IL-6 levels, and RAST between the control and treatment groups (p < 0.05), indicating that ICEFIT intervention provided better outcomes in managing fatigue and inflammation.
The ICEFIT intervention for soccer athletes undergoing high-intensity physical training (SET) effectively managed pro-inflammatory biomarkers (IL-6), fatigue indicators (RAST), and heart rate. This method has proven to be effective in accelerating athlete recovery after training. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of ICEFIT in various sports conditions and to examine its impact on other recovery indicators such as blood lactate and cortisol levels. The implementation of ICEFIT is expected to become part of athlete recovery protocols across various sports disciplines.