Photobiomodulation, Cryotherapy Combined With Compression, and Massage for Recovery

Summary

Skeletal muscle fatigue is an inevitable phenomenon in the training and competition routine for many crossfit athletes, which can impair their physical performance and predispose them to musculoskeletal injuries. Thus, strategies and/or therapies that minimize fatigue and accelerate muscle recovery are extremely relevant for everyone involved with sport. The aim of the present study is to investigate and compare the effects of photobiomodulation, cryotherapy combined with compression, and massage as isolated therapies for muscle recovery after a protocol of induced muscle damage and fatigue in Crossfit athletes. This is a randomized, double-blind, crossover, sham-controlled clinical trial. Will be recruited 60 male participants, adults, aged between 18 and 40 years, Crossfit practitioners. They will be randomly allocated into 3 groups of 20 participants per therapy, each crossed between effective and sham every 15 days. The primary outcome will be muscle performance in functional test (free squat) and knee extensor torque in maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). Secondary outcomes will be evaluated by the levels of muscle damage via creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and inflammatory process via blood C-reactive protein (CRP); and delayed onset muscle pain via numerical verbal scale (0-10). All outcomes will be evaluated at baseline, 24h and 48h after induction of muscle damage and fatigue. Data will be analyzed and compared intra and inter groups with a significance level of 5%.

Conditions

• Laser
• Muscle; Fatigue, Heart
• Muscle Damage

Interventions

OTHER

Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage

Photobiomodulation: the 20 participants will receive active photobiomodulation or sham immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session. Cryotherapy combined with compression: the 20 participants will receive effective cryotherapy (10-12°C for 20 min) combined with high compression, or sham (25°C for 20 min) combined with light compression, on the lower limbs, immediately after the protocol. induction of muscle damage and fatigue. Effective cryotherapy or sham will be applied in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session. Massage: the 20 participants will receive the effective massage or sham immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos

  collaborator OTHER

• Universidade Anhanguera

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Filipe A dos Reis, PhD · Ufscar

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

40 Years

Sex

MALE

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-03-01

Primary Completion

2023-06-01

Completion

2023-07-01

Countries

• Brazil

Study Locations