Neuromuscular Responses to Recovery Techniques

University of Trieste

Status: Completed

Conditions: Muscle Soreness

Treatments: Other: Cold Water Immersion; Device: Percussive Massage Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06433856

Fisioterapia1705

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Full 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.

Enrollment: 16 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 16 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• being healthy
• training in soccer for more than 3 years and with a training frequency > 2 times/week

Exclusion criteria

• reported time-loss injuries
• using analgesics or other therapies affecting muscle function or pain

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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16 participants in 3 patient groups

CWI

Experimental group

Description:

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

Treatment:

Other: Cold Water Immersion

PMT

Experimental group

Description:

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.

Treatment:

Device: Percussive Massage Therapy

PAS

No Intervention group

Description:

The control condition (PAS) consists of participants resting on a chair for 12 minutes in a quiet room at 25 °C.