Table 2 Number of total responses and the popular response themes from free text answers for the perceived effectiveness of five recovery strategies

Physical Benefit

N = 23

Improves range of movement (8)

Loosens (4)

Reduces injury (4)

N = 41

Improves range of movement (13)

Less stress/strain on body (8)

Non weight bearing (6)

N = 80

Improves range of movement (25)

Reduces tightness (23)

Loosens (20)

N = 5

Reduces tightness (2)

N = 2

Reduces stiffness (2)

Physiological benefit

N = 18

Warm/cool down (9)

Removes lactic acid (3)

Blood flow (3)

N = 29

Cools (11)

Blood flow (7)

Pressure (4)

N = 23

Blood flow (7)

Removes lactic acid (3)

Heals muscles (3)

N = 35

Reduces swelling/inflammation (16)

Cools (11)

Removes lactic acid (4)

N = 14

Cools (6)

Blood flow (3)

Reduces swelling/inflammation (3)

Psychological benefit

N = 19

Decreases soreness (8)

Relax (7)

Unwind (4)

N = 44

Relax (23)

Decreases soreness (10)

Freshens (9)

N = 51

Decreases soreness (23)

Relax (21)

Feel better (4)

N = 41

Relax (15)

Decreases soreness (11)

Feels good (10)

N = 23

Decreases soreness (9)

Relax (6)

Feel better (4)

General/unspecified benefit

N = 10

It works (3)

N = 16

Helps recovery (3)

Relatively effective/helpful (2)

N = 22

Helps recovery (10)

N = 21

Helps recovery (13)

Speeds recovery (4)

Limited facilities (2)

N = 13

Helps recovery (7)

Speeds recovery (3)

Sceptical/unsure/neutral

N = 13

Don’t feel better (5)

Don’t know (3)

Sceptical if it works (2)

N = 3

Other recoveries better (1)

Don’t feel better (1)

Don’t know (1)

N = 5

Don’t feel better (2)

N = 4

Don’t know (2)

Don’t feel better (1)

Am not convinced of the science of it (1)

N = 1

Don’t feel better (1)

Did not answer

N = 71

N = 29

N =38

N =31

N = 22