Effects of Photobiomodulation Therapy in Strength Training and Detraining in Humans

NCT03858179 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 1781602
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

In last years it has been demonstrated that photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has ergogenic effects, improving muscular performance and accelerating post-exercise recovery. However, many aspects related to these effects and its' clinical applicability remain unknown. Therefore, the aim of this project is to evaluate the ergogenic effects of PBMT in detraining after a strength training protocol.

Conditions

Muscle Strength

Keywords

Photobiomodulation Therapy; Low-level Laser Therapy; Skeletal Muscle Strenght; Strength Training

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Peak Torque

  The peak torque will be measured by Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC) test.

  16 weeks - 4 weeks after completing the training (detraining period).

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Peak Torque

  4, 8, and 12 weeks after starting the training period.

• Muscle strength

  4, 8, and 12 weeks after starting the training period, and at 4 weeks after completing the training (detraining period).

• Muscle thickness

  4, 8, and 12 weeks after starting the training period, and at 4 weeks after completing the training (detraining period).

• Muscle fascicle length

  4, 8, and 12 weeks after starting the training period, and at 4 weeks after completing the training (detraining period).

• Muscle fiber pennation angle

  4, 8, and 12 weeks after starting the training period, and at 4 weeks after completing the training (detraining period).

Study Arms (4)

PBMT + training/ PBMT + detraining

EXPERIMENTAL

PBMT applied before the strength training sessions (12 weeks, 2 times a week) and PBMT applied during the detraining period (4 weeks, 2 times a week).

Device: PBMT

PBMT + training/ placebo + detraining

EXPERIMENTAL

PBMT applied before the strength training sessions (12 weeks, 2 times a week) and placebo applied during the detraining period (4 weeks, 2 times a week).

Device: PBMT; Device: Placebo

Placebo + training/ PBMT + detraining

EXPERIMENTAL

Placebo applied before the strength training sessions (12 weeks, 2 times a week) and PBMT applied during the detraining period (4 weeks, 2 times a week).

Device: PBMT; Device: Placebo

Placebo + training/ placebo + detraining

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Placebo applied before the strength training sessions (12 weeks, 2 times a week) and placebo applied during the detraining period (4 weeks, 2 times a week).

Device: Placebo

Interventions

PBMT DEVICE

PBMT will be applied bilaterally using the direct contact method with light pressure on the skin to 6 sites of the anterior thigh (2 medial, 2 lateral, and 2 central). A 12-diode cluster, with 4 905-nm laser diodes (12.5W peak power for each diode), 4 875-nm LED diodes (17.5 mW mean power for each diode), and 4 640-nm LED diodes (15 mW mean power for each diode), manufactured by Multi Radiance Medical® (Solon, OH, USA), will be used to apply the PBMT. The dose used for applications during the training and/or detraining periods will be 30 Joules (J) per site (180 J per thigh). PBMT will be applied before each workout and during the detraining period, depending on the group to which the volunteers are allocated.

PBMT + training/ PBMT + detraining; PBMT + training/ placebo + detraining; Placebo + training/ PBMT + detraining

Placebo DEVICE

Placebo PBMT will be applied bilaterally using the direct contact method with light pressure on the skin to 6 sites of the anterior thigh (2 medial, 2 lateral, and 2 central). The placebo PBMT will per performed using the dose of 0 J per diode. The sounds and signals emitted from the device as well as the information displayed on the screen will be identical, regardless of the type of treatment (active or placebo). Placebo PBMT will be applied before each workout and during the detraining period, depending on the group to which the volunteers are allocated.

PBMT + training/ placebo + detraining; Placebo + training/ PBMT + detraining; Placebo + training/ placebo + detraining

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy men;
• Aged from 18 to 35 years;
• Complete at least 80% of the study procedures will be included in the study.

You may not qualify if:

• History of musculoskeletal injury in the hip and knee regions in the 2 months before the study;
• Become injured during the study;
• Regularly use pharmacological agents and/ or nutritional supplements;
• Signs and symptoms of any neurological, metabolic, inflammatory, pulmonary, oncological, or cardiovascular disease that may limit the execution of high-intensity exercises.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Nove de Julho: lead
• Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Laboratory of Phototherapy and Innovative Technologies in Health

São Paulo, São Paulo, 01504-001, Brazil

Location

Related Publications (2)

• de Paiva PRV, Tomazoni SS, Machado CDSM, Pereira AL, Ribeiro NF, Lino MMA, Dias LB, de Oliveira MFD, de Araujo-Silva OM, Dorneles MP, Vanin AA, Baroni BM, Bjordal JM, Casalechi HL, Leal-Junior ECP. Effects of photobiomodulation therapy combined with static magnetic field on training adaptations and detraining responses: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2025 Dec 12;11(4):e002799. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002799. eCollection 2025.

  PMID: 41393334 DERIVED

• de Paiva PRV, Casalechi HL, Tomazoni SS, Machado CDSM, Vanin AA, Baroni BM, de Carvalho PTC, Leal-Junior ECP. Effects of photobiomodulation therapy combined to static magnetic field in strength training and detraining in humans: protocol for a randomised placebo-controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2019 Oct 28;9(10):e030194. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030194.

  PMID: 31662370 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Ernesto Cesar Pinto Leal Junior, PhD

  University of Nove de Julho

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: QUADRUPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: A researcher will program the device (placebo or PMBT) and will be instructed not to inform the volunteers or other researchers as to the type of treatment (PMBT or placebo). Therefore, the researcher responsible for the treatment will be blinded to the type of treatment being administered to the volunteers. The sounds and signals emitted from the device as well as the information displayed on the screen will be identical, regardless of the type of treatment (placebo or PBMT).
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Full professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 26, 2019
• First Posted: February 28, 2019
• Study Start: March 25, 2019
• Primary Completion: May 13, 2022
• Study Completion: May 13, 2022
• Last Updated: June 27, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, CSR

Locations

BR (1)