Neuromuscular Responses to Recovery Techniques
- Conditions
- Muscle Soreness
- Interventions
- Device: Percussive Massage TherapyOther: Cold Water Immersion
- Registration Number
- NCT06433856
- Lead Sponsor
- University of Trieste
- Brief Summary
Cold water immersion (CWI) and percussive massage therapy (PMT) are commonly used re-covery techniques in team sports. In particular, despite its wide use, PMT has been scarcely investigated in the literature, especially regarding neuromuscular measures and in comparison with other techniques. This study aims to evaluate and compare the acute and short-term ef-fects (24 h) of CWI and PMT on muscle strength, contractile properties, and soreness after exercise. A randomized crossover study will be performed on sixteen male soccer players (22 y, 20-27) who participate in three experimental sessions involving high-intensity training and 12-min recovery including CWI (10 °C water), bilateral PMT on the anterior and posterior thigh, or passive resting. Outcomes will be assessed immediately after the exercise protocol, after the recovery intervention, and at 24 h. Isometric knee extension (IKE) and flexion (IKF), and tensiomyography (TMG) will be assessed.Muscle soreness and fatigue will be scored from 0 to 10.
- Detailed Description
Participants will be invited to participate to a cross-over randomized trial, consisting in 3 experimental sessions at 7 days of distance one from another. During each experimental session, participants will be asked to train for about 45 min at a high-intensity protocol (High-Intensity Intermittent Running, plyometric jumps and isometric chair position). After the exercise, participants will be assessed for neuromuscular function (isometric strength and tensiomyography) as well as perceived soreness and fatigue. Then, in a randomized order, participants will receive three different recovery interventions: cold water immersion, percussive massage, or a passive control condition. After the recovery intervention, outcomes are assessed again, as well as at 24 h. Isometric strength is assessed with a dynamometer during knee extension and knee flexion. Tensiomyography is performed on the thigh muscles, and time to contraction and radial displacement are considered as outcomes. Soreness and fatigue are rated by the participant from 0 to 10.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- Male
- Target Recruitment
- 16
- being healthy
- training in soccer for more than 3 years and with a training frequency > 2 times/week
- reported time-loss injuries
- using analgesics or other therapies affecting muscle function or pain
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- CROSSOVER
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description PMT Percussive Massage Therapy The PMT protocol is performed with the application of a percussive therapy gun (Theragun Elite, Therabody, USA). The participants rests with their underwear and a t-shirt on a treatment bed, and the percussive therapy gun with a "standard ball", 16 mm amplitude of percussions, and a frequency of 30 Hz, is applied to the thigh muscles of both lower limbs, 3 min on the anterior and 3 min on the posterior area of each thigh. The protocol is based on previous literature and adapted to the specific aims of this study. CWI Cold Water Immersion The CWI protocol consists of participants standing, with only their underwear and a t-shirt, in a portable tub for cold water therapy (Qryo, Italy), with the water to their hips being constantly maintained at 10±0.5 °C by a cooling system that pumped and stirred the water inside the tub and around the participant's lower limbs. Water temperature and the duration of the immersion, which is 12 minutes for all the participants considering they were characterized by similar anthropometrics and body composition, were based on previous literature
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Muscle fatigue Within 10 minutes from exercise cessation (Post-Exercise); Within 10 minutes after the intervention (Post-Intervention); 24 hours from the exercise (Post-24 hours) Subjective evaluation of muscle fatigue from 0 to 10 with a numeric rating scale (NRS), where 0 is no fatigue at all, and 10 is unbearable fatigue
Muscle soreness Within 10 minutes from exercise cessation (Post-Exercise); Within 10 minutes after the intervention (Post-Intervention); 24 hours from the exercise (Post-24 hours) Subjective evalutation of muscle soreness from 0 to 10 with a numeric rating scale (NRS), where 0 is no soreness at all, and 10 is unbearable soreness
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Isometric muscle strength Within 10 minutes from exercise cessation (Post-Exercise); Within 10 minutes after the intervention (Post-Intervention); 24 hours from the exercise (Post-24 hours) Isometric knee extension (IKE) and flexion (IKF) strength assessments performed on a treatment bed, with a digital handheld dynamometer
Tensiomyography Within 10 minutes from exercise cessation (Post-Exercise); Within 10 minutes after the intervention (Post-Intervention); 24 hours from the exercise (Post-24 hours) Tensiomyography (TMG) will be performed on anterior and posterior thigh muscles
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
CdL in Fisioterapia
🇮🇹Trieste, Italy