# Remote ischemic preconditioning fails to enhance maximal accumulated oxygen deficit in well-trained college tennis players

## TL;DR

This study found that remote ischemic preconditioning does not improve anaerobic capacity in well-trained college tennis players.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence that RIPC does not enhance maximal accumulated oxygen deficit in trained athletes.

## Key findings

- RIPC had no effect on time to exhaustion or anaerobic capacity parameters.
- MAOD remained unchanged across baseline, placebo, and RIPC conditions.
- A strong correlation was found between MAOD and MAODALT.

## Abstract

Tennis, characterized by intermittent high-intensity bursts, demands both aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways for optimal performance. Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) has emerged as a potential method to enhance athletic outcomes. This study aimed to explore the impact of RIPC on anaerobic capacity, specifically the maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD), in well-trained college tennis players.

In a single-blinded, randomized, controlled crossover design, 16 participants (eight men and eight women; age: 20.9 ± 1.4 years; height: 1.73 ± 0.76 m; weight: 63.5 ± 8.2 kg; BMI: 21.2 ± 1.4 kg/m2) completed supramaximal intensity tests across baseline, placebo, and RIPC conditions. RIPC involved alternating bilateral occlusion of 220 or 20 mmHg for 4 × 5 min applied to both arms. Subsequently, the subjects performed a supramaximal test on the treadmill at 110% VO2max intensity until exhaustion.

The results indicated that RIPC had no discernible effect on time to exhaustion compared to baseline or placebo conditions (p > 0.05). Moreover, parameters including MAODALT (Alternative MAOD, derived from the fast component of excess post-exercise oxygen consumption and oxygen equivalent for blood lactate accumulation), lactic anaerobic capacity, alactic anaerobic capacity, and excess post-exercise oxygen uptake dynamics remained comparable across the three interventions (p > 0.05). Notably, a strong correlation was observed between MAOD and MAODALT (r = 0.739; p < 0.05).

In conclusion, this study provides evidence that remote ischemic preconditioning did not improve anaerobic capacity, as indicated by MAOD, among well-trained college tennis players. These findings emphasize the nuanced interplay of physiological factors in the context of RIPC and suggest that its impact on anaerobic capacity may be limited within this athletic cohort.