Effects of Roller Massage on Short-Term Passive Muscle Stiffness

Jeffrey Sykora

Status: Completed

Conditions: Muscle Tightness

Treatments: Procedure: Sham Therapeutic Ultrasound; Procedure: High-Intensity Roller Massage; Procedure: Medium-Intensity Roller Massage

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04571034

60480

Details and patient eligibility

About

Muscle stiffness is associated with a variety of variables that affect health, however there is limited research on the effect of massage on muscle stiffness, and existing research does not quantify the intensity of massage. Thus trial will determine the effect of roller massage on quadriceps muscle stiffness and passive range of motion.

Full description

Following screening for eligibility and consent, subjects will be assigned randomly to one of three groups: a placebo control group and two roller massage groups (treatment groups). The treatment groups will each receive a single bout of roller massage. One treatment group will receive a massage at medium intensity (25 newtons of force directed perpendicular to surface of thigh), the other treatment group at high intensity (45 newtons of force directed perpendicular to surface of thigh). The placebo group will receive a single bout of sham ultrasound. Both placebo and treatments will be delivered to the anterior thigh with the participant in a supine position. Each procedure will last for 10 minutes. In all groups, muscle stiffness, natural oscillation frequency, elasticity, relaxation time, and creep at the vastus lateralis will be measured using a myotonometer. PROM for knee flexion will also be measured in both groups using goniometry. All measurements will be taken at 3 different times: immediately before treatment or placebo, immediately after treatment or placebo, and 30 minutes after treatment or placebo. Myotonometric measurements of the vastus lateralis will be taken 2/3 of the way down between the anterior superior iliac spine and lateral aspect of the patella, in accordance with guidelines for the Surface ElectroMyoGraphy for the Non-Invasive Assessment of Muscles. For goniometric measurement, participants will be in supine position on an examination table. The investigator will flex the participant's hip to 90 degrees and then, using a dynamometer (to ensure consistent applied force for all participants), flex the participant's knee. To measure knee flexion PROM, the goniometer will be positioned with the axis at the lateral epicondyle of the femur, the stationary arm in line with the lateral midline of the femur toward the greater trochanter, and the moving arm in line with the fibular head and lateral malleolus. During the time between the second and third measurements, subjects will be asked to sit quietly.

Enrollment: 48 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

-Age 18-30

Exclusion criteria

• Prior history of significant vascular or neuromuscular illness or impairment affecting the lower limbs
• Serious injuries to the back or legs in the last six months
• Discomfort or pain in the back or legs
• Use of pain and anti-inflammatory medications
• Any contraindications to massage treatment or ultrasound
• Body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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48 participants in 3 patient groups

Control Group

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Healthy adults receiving sham comparator.

Treatment:

Procedure: Sham Therapeutic Ultrasound

Medium-Intensity Roller Massage

Experimental group

Description:

Healthy adults receiving medium-intensity roller massage.

Treatment:

Procedure: Medium-Intensity Roller Massage

High-Intensity Roller Massage

Experimental group

Description:

Healthy adults receiving high-intensity roller massage.

Treatment:

Procedure: High-Intensity Roller Massage