Effect of Ischemic Preconditioning on Lower Extremity Motor Ability and Recovery in Basketball Players During Post-Match Recovery Period

May 21, 2026 updated by: Ziyue Ou, Guangzhou Sport University

Effect of Ischemic Preconditioning on Lower Extremity Motor Ability and Recovery in Basketball Players During Post-Match Recovery Period: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ischemic preconditioning on lower limb explosive power and post-exercise recovery in basketball players during a 6-week post-season recovery training period. Thirty-four male collegiate basketball players were randomly assigned to either an IPC group or a placebo control group. Bilateral lower limb IPC intervention (3 cycles, each consisting of 5-minute ischemia at 220 mmHg and 5-minute reperfusion, twice per week for 6 weeks) was administered before routine basketball training sessions. Lower limb explosive power, as well as physiological, biochemical, and morphological indices, were assessed before and after the intervention.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Background: Lower limb explosive power is crucial for basketball performance, and effective recovery strategies are key to maintaining training quality. Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) is a non-invasive, economical, and safe method that triggers endogenous protective mechanisms through brief ischemia-reperfusion cycles, showing potential in enhancing athletic performance and metabolic efficiency. However, the effects of IPC on lower limb explosive power during post-match recovery in basketball players remain understudied. Objective: To investigate the effects of a 6-week repeated remote ischemic preconditioning on lower limb explosive power, phosphagen energy system capacity, and physical recovery in male college basketball players. Design: A randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial with concealed allocation. Participants were randomly assigned to either the IPC experimental group (n=17) or the placebo control group (n=17). Both groups participated in the same regular basketball sessions. The experimental group received bilateral thigh IPC intervention (3×5 minutes, 220 mmHg) before each training session, while the control group received a placebo intervention (3×5 minutes, 20 mmHg). The intervention was administered twice a week for 6 weeks (30 minutes per session). Secondary endpoints: Urinary creatinine coefficient, 10-second maximal load test (blood lactate increment, peak power, mean power), hematological parameters (red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, white blood cell count), serum testosterone, cortisol, testosterone/cortisol ratio, body composition (body weight, body fat percentage, BMI), and training load monitoring (heart rate, RPE, urine protein).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

34

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male basketball students at Guangzhou Sport University.
  • Regular participants in basketball training/practice.
  • Healthy adults without cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, digestive, neurological, or metabolic diseases.
  • Blood pressure within normal range.
  • No history of lower extremity musculoskeletal injury within the past 6 months.
  • Not currently using any performance-enhancing substances or medications affecting hormones/metabolism.
  • Voluntary participation with signed informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Presence of acute or chronic diseases affecting exercise performance.
  • History of deep vein thrombosis or coagulation disorders.
  • Presence of skin lesions or infections at the thigh cuff placement site.
  • Participation in other concurrent lower extremity strength/power training programs outside the study.
  • Use of dietary supplements known to affect muscle metabolism within 4 weeks prior to enrollment.
  • Inability to complete the full 6-week intervention and testing protocol.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: IPC Group
Bilateral thigh compression was applied using a Theratools pneumatic cuff (T-bfr-0475). Three cycles, each consisting of 5 minutes of ischemia (pressure 220 mmHg) and 5 minutes of reperfusion (total 30 minutes), were performed before regular basketball training sessions. The intervention was conducted twice per week for 6 weeks. Cuff placement: at the inguinal crease of the thigh. Subject position: supine, alternating between left and right legs.
Device: Ischemic Preconditioning
Bilateral thigh compression was applied using a Theratools pneumatic cuff (T-bfr-0475). Three cycles, each consisting of 5 minutes of ischemia (pressure 220 mmHg) and 5 minutes of reperfusion (total 30 minutes), were performed before regular basketball training sessions. The intervention was conducted twice per week for 6 weeks. Cuff placement: at the inguinal crease of the thigh. Subject position: supine, alternating between left and right legs.
Active Comparator: Sham Control Group
Identical procedure to IPC group except cuff pressure maintained at 20 mmHg (non-ischemic), applied before regular basketball training. Twice weekly for 6 weeks.
Device: Placebo Ischemic Preconditioning
Identical procedure to IPC group except cuff pressure maintained at 20 mmHg (non-ischemic), applied before regular basketball training. Twice weekly for 6 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Squat Jump (SJ) height
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Post-intervention (Week 8)
Change from baseline in lower extremity concentric explosive power measured by Smart Jump portable contact mat (cm).
Baseline (Week 0) and Post-intervention (Week 8)
Countermovement Jump (CMJ) height
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change from baseline in lower extremity reactive explosive power without arm swing (cm).
Baseline and Week 8
Standing Long Jump
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change from baseline in lower extremity horizontal explosive power (cm).
Baseline and Week 8
T-Test (T-run)
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change from baseline in multi-directional agility performance (seconds).
Baseline and Week 8
3/4 Court Sprint
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change from baseline in linear sprint speed over 3/4 basketball court distance (~21m, seconds).
Baseline and Week 8
Reactive Strength Index (RSI)
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change from baseline in RSI derived from 30cm drop jump using Smart Jump system (m/s). The RSI was calculated as jump height divided by ground contact time, with higher values indicating better reactive strength capacity in athletes (i.e., shorter ground contact times and greater jump heights). The observed range of RSI in the present study was [minimum value]-[maximum value] m/s.
Baseline and Week 8

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Blood Lactate Accumulation
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change in blood lactate accumulation during 10-second maximal load test (mmol/L).
Baseline and Week 8
Peak Power (10s Test)
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change from baseline in peak power output during 10-second maximal load test on Monark 828E cycle ergometer (Watts).
Baseline and Week 8
Mean Power (10s Test)
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change from baseline in mean power output during 10-second maximal load test (Watts).
Baseline and Week 8
Testosterone/Cortisol Ratio
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change from baseline in T/C ratio (×10-²).
Baseline and Week 8

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Guangzhou Sport University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

May 22, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

July 15, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

July 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 17, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 17, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 22, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 26, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 21, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • GZSU-IPC-BB-2024

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

The data have not been publicly released yet, and contributions may be considered after they are published.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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