Effects Of Flotation-REST On Vastus Lateralis Muscle Oxygenation In Healthy And Concussed Athletes

Flotation-REST (restricted environmental stimulation therapy) is widely adopted among athletes for recovery, performance enhancement, and injury risk mitigation. Despite evidence supporting its relaxation benefits, limited research has explored its influence on physical fitness and its potential role in concussion recovery. Understanding key indicators of improved physical fitness, such as heightened muscle oxygenation (MO2), is vital to comprehending the impact of flotation-REST. Given the prevalence and misconceptions surrounding sports-related concussions, there is an urgent need for innovative recovery approaches. PURPOSE: The project aimed at investigating the benefits of 5 weeks of flotation-REST on Vastus Lateralis (VL) MO2 in healthy and concussed university athletes. METHODS: A convenience sample of 12 healthy (23.9 ± 5.9 years old) and 6 concussed (21.7 ± 1.6 years old) athletes participated in 5 weeks of one hour flotation-REST sessions. Prior to and following each session, VL MO2 was assessed for 5 minutes while lying supine followed by 5 minutes in quiet standing.After testing for normality, 1) a repeated analysis of variance was carried out within subject across all 5 weeks, 2) a paired t-test was conducted pre-post flotation-REST for lying and standing, and 3) a multivariate analysis of variance was completed to compare the groups (p < 0.05). RESULTS: No difference was found pre-post within subject across all 5 weeks. A significant improvement was observed pre-post bath for each week, in both groups and conditions (Healthy lying t(19) = -5.26, p < 0.001; Concussed lying t(23) = -3.59, p < 0.001; Healthy standing t(51) = -5.91, p < 0.001; Concussed standing t(23) = -4.96, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between healthy and concussed athletes. CONCLUSION: The relaxation effects of flotation-REST extend to VL muscle oxygenation in both healthy and concussed athletes, though this effect appears transient. While a reduction in VL muscle oxygenation is evident in concussed athletes, they do not seem to derive distinct advantages from flotation-REST. Future research should explore its impact on other physical fitness parameters, such as postural stability and heart rate variability. This work was supported by Mitacs through the Mitacs Accelerate program.