Table 1.

Practical applications to implement and promote recovery modalities during the season for basketball players

Sleep	Hydrotherapy and cryotherapy	Compression garments and massage
Basketball players should aim for a minimum of 8 h of sleep per night Players should be encouraged to sleep longer or nap more frequently during congested schedules or after periods of travel Practitioners should be aware that workloads in both training and games may negatively influence night-time sleep Coaches should consider strategies that increase time available for sleep, in particular the timing of any training sessions or travel the day following a game Consistent training times may be beneficial to reduce bed and wake time variability Regular sleep monitoring, education, and feedback may aid in optimizing sleep in basketball players Avoid blue light exposure after night games or use a blue blocker on electric devices Consider establishing a designated, comfortable, and convenient rest/sleep area within the home arena or facility A practical and less invasive way to monitor sleep is through subjective evaluation (e.g., validated sleep surveys, questionnaires), although objective sleep monitoring may reduce bias	Cold-water immersion (CWI)  •Regular use of CWI is recommended in season or at tournaments to help manage fatigue  •Intermittent protocols are recommended as a time effective alternative to continuous protocols when trying to accommodate a large squad  •Full-body immersion is preferable; however, leg-only immersion will still provide positive benefits  •CWI is recommended when athletes are recovering from muscle damage or high body temperatures Contrast water therapy (CWT)  •Implementing CWT can be time effective for larger teams with athletes apportioned between the cold and hot pools  •CWT is recommended when athletes are recovering from general fatigue or tiredness Hot-water immersion (HWI)  •HWI is recommended when athletes are aiming to ease muscle tension and relax  •HWI should be avoided during the acute phase of soft tissue injuries Hygiene considerations for hydrotherapy  •Athletes should avoid water immersion when they have open wounds  •Athletes should not complete water immersion when they are unwell  •Where large groups are moving through pools, water should be treated with a chlorine or disinfectant solution Travel considerations for hydrotherapy  •If space is available, consider traveling with portable, inflatable hydrotherapy pools to implement CWI protocols  •Inflatable tubs can be utilized by players at the hotel post-game or after a long evening of travel  •Encourage players to create their own CWI tubs in hotel rooms during temporary periods of travel and extended hotel stays. This may be more achievable if 10–20 lb bags of ice are provided to the players Cryotherapy  •Future research is warranted regarding cryotherapy and recovery measures with basketball players before this is implemented in a post-game routine	Compression garments  •Lower-body compression garments (e.g., tights, socks) should be encouraged post-training or post-match  •Wear garments for as long as it is comfortable post-exercise and including night-time sleep. However, do not let garments compromise quality of sleep  •Caution is advised with standard-sized garments as anthropometric variations between players may lead to inadequate pressure  •If possible, players should purchase custom-fitted compression garments that exert a minimum pressure of 14 mmHg  •Compression socks should be worn during long-haul flights to minimize the risk of flight-related thrombosis Massage  •Consider offering/implementing a sport massage for players the following day after night-time competition  •The massage should be short in duration (i.e., 5–12 min) compared to a longer massage (i.e., 15 min or longer)