Grip strength after forearm cooling in healthy subjects

Abstract Introduction: Muscle strength has shown different responses to the cooling of neuromuscular tissue and its behavior is still unclear. Objective: To verify the behavior of maximum grip strength before and after forearm cooling. Methods: The cooling intervention consisted of immersing the forearm up to the elbow in water cooled to 10° C. Grip strength was assessed using a dynamometer prior to cooling, immediately after immersion, and at 5, 10 and 30 minutes of forearm exposure to ambient temperature (recovery phase) concomitantly to measurement of skin surface temperature. The sample consisted of 30 healthy individuals. Results: Grip strength decreased significantly (p