"Recovery Techniques on Pain, Force and Muscle Oxygenation in Athletes: A Crossover Trial"

NCT07387276 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 22
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 20
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the impact of various passive post-exercise recovery techniques on professional athletes. The main questions it aims to answer are: Do passive recovery modalities significantly improve muscle oxygenation and tissue temperature immediately following high-intensity effort? Which specific technique is most effective in reducing perceived pain, measured by the pressure pain threshold, and restoring muscle strength? Researchers will compare six different therapeutic interventions-Transfer of Energy Capacitive and Resistive therapy, manual massage, intermittent negative pressure therapy, extracorporeal shockwave therapy, percussion therapy, and pneumatic pressotherapy-to determine which provides a superior immediate physiological and functional recovery effect. Participants will: Perform a high-intensity physical effort designed to induce peripheral fatigue. Be randomly assigned to receive one of the six recovery protocols. Undergo objective measurements immediately after the intervention, including near-infrared spectroscopy to assess muscle oxygen saturation, tissue thermography, algometry, and dynamometry.

Conditions

Muscle Soreness; Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness; Athletic Injuries

Keywords

muscle recovery; SmO2; tecartherapy; shockwave therapy; massage

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Muscle Oxygen Saturation (SmO2)

  Measured using Moxy Monitor (Near-Infrared Spectroscopy - NIRS). It evaluates the percentage of hemoglobin/myoglobin oxygenated in the gastrocnemius muscle.

  immediately post-effort (fatigue), and immediately post-intervention (recovery).

• Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT)

  Measured using a digital pressure algometer. It quantifies the minimum pressure (in kg/cm²) at which a participant perceives the stimulus as painful in the gastrocnemius.

  immediately post-effort (fatigue), and immediately post-intervention (recovery).

• Maximum Isometric Muscle Strength

  Measured using a handheld dynamometer. It evaluates the peak force (in Newtons) during a maximum voluntary isometric contraction of the calf muscles.

  immediately post-effort (fatigue), and immediately post-intervention (recovery).

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Muscle Surface Temperature

  immediately post-effort (fatigue), and immediately post-intervention (recovery).

• Participant Satisfaction and Perceived Recovery

  5 minutes after each recovery intervention.

Study Arms (6)

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)

EXPERIMENTAL

Application of radial shockwave therapy using the Longest LGT-2500S device. A total of 2,000 pulses will be delivered to the gastrocnemius muscle (medial and lateral heads) at a pressure of 2.5 bar and a frequency of 10-15 Hz. The intervention aims to improve local microcirculation and reduce myofascial stiffness.

Device: Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)

Percussive Therapy - Massage Gun

EXPERIMENTAL

Application of percussive massage using the Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro device. The intervention will last 5-10 minutes and will be applied to the gastrocnemius muscle at a frequency of 50 Hz (Level 3), focusing on the muscle-tendon junction to enhance neuromuscular recovery.

Device: Massage Gun

TECAR Therapy -

EXPERIMENTAL

Application of diathermy using the Fisiowarm 300 system (Golden Star, Italy). The treatment will be administered for 15 minutes using a combination of capacitive and resistive modes at a frequency of 500 kHz. Intensity will be set at a thermal level (Type III) to promote deep vasodilation and metabolic clearance in the calf muscles.

Device: TECAR Therapy

Expert Manual Sports Massage

EXPERIMENTAL

A standardized sports massage session lasting 15-20 minutes will be performed by a senior physiotherapist with more than 20 years of experience in elite sports. The protocol will include deep effleurage, petrissage, and transverse friction techniques to alleviate muscle tension and improve blood flow in the gastrocnemius muscle.

Other: Manual Massage

Intermittent Negative Pressure

EXPERIMENTAL

Application of intermittent negative pressure using the Physium System (multimodal vacuum therapy). The protocol consists of a 10-minute session applied to the gastrocnemius area to decompress tissue layers, enhance lymphatic drainage, and modulate mechanoreceptors to reduce pain.

Device: cupping

Pressotherapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Application of pressotherapy using the Hermes Professional system. The treatment will last 20 minutes with a sequential six-chamber inflation cycle at a pressure of 70-80 mmHg, aiming to accelerate venous return and reduce post-exercise edema.

Device: Pressotherapy

Interventions

Pressotherapy DEVICE

External pneumatic compression through a sequential inflation system to facilitate venous return and reduce lower limb edema post-effort.

Pressotherapy

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) DEVICE

Application of acoustic pulses to the gastrocnemius muscle to modulate tissue mechanotransduction and improve local microcirculation.

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)

Massage Gun DEVICE

Mechanical vibration applied to the calf muscles to promote myofascial release and neuromuscular recovery through high-frequency percussion.

Percussive Therapy - Massage Gun

TECAR Therapy DEVICE

Application of high-frequency electromagnetic energy (diathermy) to the lower limb to induce deep endogenous heat and accelerate metabolic waste removal.

TECAR Therapy -

Manual Massage OTHER

Systematic manipulation of soft tissues using manual techniques (effleurage and petrissage) focused on reducing muscle tension and perceived soreness.

Expert Manual Sports Massage

cupping DEVICE

Controlled suction therapy applied to the gastrocnemius to create space between fascial layers and stimulate lymphatic and venous drainage.

Intermittent Negative Pressure

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Professional or Semi-professional athletes (specifically basketball players or endurance athletes) with a minimum of 2 years of competitive experience.
• Aged between 18 and 35 years.
• Healthy individuals with no current musculoskeletal injuries in the lower limbs.
• Regular training frequency of at least 4-5 sessions per week.
• Signed informed consent to participate in the study and follow the 6-week crossover protocol.
• Commitment to maintain similar nutritional and sleep habits throughout the duration of the study.

You may not qualify if:

• Presence of any acute or chronic injury in the gastrocnemius or Achilles tendon in the last 6 months.
• Contraindications for specific therapies:
• For Shockwave Therapy: Blood clotting disorders or use of anticoagulants.
• For TECAR/Diathermy: Metal implants in the lower limbs or pacemakers.
• For Cupping: Acute skin infections or dermatological hypersensitivity.
• Consumption of performance-enhancing drugs, anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs), or stimulants that could affect muscle oxygenation (SmO2) or pain perception.
• Recent surgery in the lower extremities (within the last year).
• Inability to complete the standardized fatigue protocol or attend all 6 intervention sessions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Sierra Varona SL: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Myalgia; Athletic Injuries

Interventions

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy; Manual Lymphatic Drainage; Cupping Therapy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Muscular Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Musculoskeletal Pain; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Wounds and Injuries

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Ultrasonic Therapy; Diathermy; Hyperthermia, Induced; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Rehabilitation; Massage; Therapy, Soft Tissue; Musculoskeletal Manipulations; Complementary Therapies; Drainage

Central Study Contacts

ALBERTO SANCHEZ SIERRA

CONTACT

608801238; alberto.sanchez@uclm.es

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Due to the nature of the physical interventions-such as manual massage, extracorporeal shockwave therapy, and intermittent negative pressure-participants and therapists cannot be blinded to the treatment assignment. To mitigate potential bias, a double-blind approach will be implemented for data collection and statistical analysis. The Outcome Assessor, responsible for recording measurements from near-infrared spectroscopy, algometry, and dynamometry, will remain blinded to the specific recovery modality administered to the athlete during each period. To maintain this blinding, the assessment will take place in a separate area from the intervention site. Furthermore, the statistical analysis will be conducted by an independent investigator using a coded dataset, ensuring that group allocation remains concealed until the final results are processed.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: This is a randomized, 6-period, 6-sequence crossover clinical trial. Each participant will undergo six different recovery interventions-extracorporeal shockwave therapy, percussive massage therapy, manual sports massage, capacitive and resistive energy transfer therapy, intermittent negative pressure therapy, and pneumatic pressotherapy-in a randomized sequence. To prevent carry-over effects, a minimum wash-out period of one week will be established between intervention sessions. Prior to each recovery modality, all participants will perform a standardized high-intensity exercise protocol designed to induce peripheral muscle fatigue. Physiological and functional measurements, including near-infrared spectroscopy, infrared thermography, pressure algometry, and isokinetic dynamometry, will be recorded at baseline and immediately following the intervention in each period to assess acute recovery effects.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 27, 2026
• First Posted: February 4, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 15, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 16, 2026
• Last Updated: April 24, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share