Effects of Far-Infrared Emitting Ceramic Materials on Recovery During 2-Week Preseason of Elite Futsal Players

ABSTRACTNunes, RFH, Cidral-Filho, FJ, Flores, LJF, Nakamura, FY, Rodriguez, HFM, Bobinski, F, De Sousa, A, Petronilho, F, Danielski, LG, Martins, MM, Martins, DF, and Guglielmo, LGA. Effects of far-infrared emitting ceramic materials on recovery during 2-week preseason of elite futsal players. J Strength Cond Res 34(1)235–248, 2020—We investigated the effects of far-infrared emitting ceramic materials (cFIR) during overnight sleep on neuromuscular, biochemical and perceptual markers in futsal players. Twenty athletes performed a 2-week preseason training program and during sleep wore bioceramic (BIO; n = 10) or placebo pants (PL; n = 10). Performance (countermovement jump [CMJ]; squat jump [SJ]; sprints 5, 10, and 15-m) and biochemical markers (tumor necrosis factor alpha-TNF-α, interleukin 10-IL-10, thiobarbituric acid–reactive species [TBARS], carbonyl, superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT]) were obtained at baseline and after the 1st and 2nd week of training. Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and training strain were monitored throughout. Changes in ΔCMJ and ΔSJ were possibly (60/36/4 [week-1]) and likely (76/22/2 [week-2]) higher in BIO. Both groups were faster in 5-m sprint in week 2 compared with baseline (p = 0.015), furthermore, BIO was likely faster in 10-m sprint (3/25/72 [week 1]). Significant group × time interaction in %ΔTNF-α were observed (p = 0.024 [week-1]; p = 0.021 [week-2]) with values possibly (53/44/3 [week 1]) and likely (80/19/1 [week 2]) higher in BIO. The %ΔIL-10 decreased across weeks compared with baseline (p = 0.019 [week-1]; p = 0.026 [week-2]), showing values likely higher in BIO (81/16/3 [week-1]; 80/17/3 [week-2]). Significant weekly increases in %ΔTBARS (p = 0.001 [week-1]; p = 0.011 [week-2]) and %ΔCarbonyl (p = 0.002 [week-1]; p < 0.001 [week-2]) were observed compared with baseline, showing likely (91/5/4 [week-1]) and possibly (68/30/2 [week-2]) higher changes in BIO. Significant weekly decreases in %ΔSOD were observed compared with baseline (p = 0.046 [week 1]; p = 0.011 [week-2]), and between week 2 and week 1 (p = 0.021), in addition to significant decreases in %ΔCAT compared with baseline (p = 0.070 [week 1]; p = 0.012 [week 2]). Training strain (p = 0.021; very -likely [0/2/98]; week 1) and DOMS was lower in BIO (likely; 7 sessions) with differences over time (p = 0.001). The results suggest that the daily use of cFIR clothing could facilitate recovery, especially on perceptual markers during the early pha