Perceived Effectiveness of Recovery Strategies In Division III Athletes
Presenter(s)
Luke B. Pavlat
Abstract
PURPOSE: This study examines which aspect of recovery, sleep, nutrition, hydration, or physical therapy techniques is perceived as the most effective among NCAA Division III athletes at the University of Wisconsin River Falls (UWRF).
METHODS: A digital survey collected daily self-reported data from 94 UWRF athletes across multiple sports, including 41 males and 53 females, ranging 18-23 years of age, totaling 394 observations. The subjects were asked to take the survey daily. The survey assessed fatigue levels, sleep duration, nutritional intake, hydration, and the use of various recovery modalities which consist of rolling out, stretching, using heat/ice, massage/compression/cupping, resting/sleeping, walking/other physical activity. Fatigue level was reported as a score from one to five, with one indicating being less fatigued and five indicating being more fatigued.
RESULTS: Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. Regression models with a random subject effect indicated significant correlations between fatigue level and previous night's sleep (p = 0.0034), protein consumption (p = 0.024), and calorie consumption (p = 0.0284). Tukey's HSD tests confirmed that those with <6 hours of sleep had significantly higher fatigue levels than those with 7-8 hours (p = 0.0334) or 8+ hours (p = 0.0023). Similarly, those consuming <100g of protein or <2000 calories exhibited significantly higher fatigue levels than those consuming 150+g of protein (p = 0.0225) or 3000+ calories (p = 0.0216), respectively. No significant correlation was found between fatigue and water consumption (p = 0.1909) or most recovery strategies, except for marginal evidence with rolling out (p = 0.0896). A full multiple regression model accounting for all predictors confirmed that only previous night's sleep remained a significant predictor of fatigue (p = 0.0387, R² = 0.24).
CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that sleep is the most influential factor in perceived recovery, while other commonly used recovery strategies may have limited effectiveness in reducing perceived fatigue. This research highlights the importance of prioritizing sleep hygiene interventions to optimize performance and recovery in collegiate athletes, particularly within resource-limited environments.
College
College of Nursing & Health Sciences
Department
Health, Exercise & Rehabilitative Sciences
First Advisor/Mentor
Becky Heinert
Start Date
4-24-2025 10:00 AM
End Date
4-24-2025 11:00 AM
Presentation Type
Poster Session
Format of Presentation or Performance
In-Person
Session
1b=10am-11am
Poster Number
52
Perceived Effectiveness of Recovery Strategies In Division III Athletes
PURPOSE: This study examines which aspect of recovery, sleep, nutrition, hydration, or physical therapy techniques is perceived as the most effective among NCAA Division III athletes at the University of Wisconsin River Falls (UWRF).
METHODS: A digital survey collected daily self-reported data from 94 UWRF athletes across multiple sports, including 41 males and 53 females, ranging 18-23 years of age, totaling 394 observations. The subjects were asked to take the survey daily. The survey assessed fatigue levels, sleep duration, nutritional intake, hydration, and the use of various recovery modalities which consist of rolling out, stretching, using heat/ice, massage/compression/cupping, resting/sleeping, walking/other physical activity. Fatigue level was reported as a score from one to five, with one indicating being less fatigued and five indicating being more fatigued.
RESULTS: Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. Regression models with a random subject effect indicated significant correlations between fatigue level and previous night's sleep (p = 0.0034), protein consumption (p = 0.024), and calorie consumption (p = 0.0284). Tukey's HSD tests confirmed that those with <6 hours of sleep had significantly higher fatigue levels than those with 7-8 hours>(p = 0.0334) or 8+ hours (p = 0.0023). Similarly, those consuming <100g of protein or><2000 calories exhibited significantly higher fatigue levels than those consuming>150+g of protein (p = 0.0225) or 3000+ calories (p = 0.0216), respectively. No significant correlation was found between fatigue and water consumption (p = 0.1909) or most recovery strategies, except for marginal evidence with rolling out (p = 0.0896). A full multiple regression model accounting for all predictors confirmed that only previous night's sleep remained a significant predictor of fatigue (p = 0.0387, R² = 0.24).
CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that sleep is the most influential factor in perceived recovery, while other commonly used recovery strategies may have limited effectiveness in reducing perceived fatigue. This research highlights the importance of prioritizing sleep hygiene interventions to optimize performance and recovery in collegiate athletes, particularly within resource-limited environments.
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