Recovery After Fatigue in Young Athletes: Comparison Between TECAR Therapy and Cycle Ergometer"

NCT07547566 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: MGC24
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 48
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare two recovery methods after fatigue in young athletes. It aims to find out if tecar therapy (TECAR) or cycle ergometer exercise can improve recovery after intense physical activity and help athletes return to their normal performance more quickly. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does TECAR or cycle ergometer improve physical performance after fatigue? Do these methods reduce muscle pain and soreness after fatigue? Researchers will compare TECAR with active recovery using a cycle ergometer to see which method is more effective. Participants will: Perform a series of jumps to induce fatigue Be randomly assigned to one of the recovery methods Complete physical tests before and after fatigue Undergo simple measurements of muscle condition and pain Report their level of effort and muscle soreness

Conditions

Muscle Fatigue; Healthy Adult

Keywords

Muscle Strength; Muscle Fatigue; Athletes; Recovery of Function; Countermovement jump; Pressure pain threshold; Muscle soreness; Muscle mechanical properties; Diathermy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Countermovement jump height

  Vertical jump performance will be assessed using a countermovement jump test. Jump height will be measured using a validated mobile application after three attempts, and the mean value will be recorded.

  Baseline (after warm-up), immediately after fatigue protocol, and immediately after intervention (20 minutes).

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Muscle mechanical properties

  Baseline (after warm-up), immediately after fatigue protocol, and immediately after intervention (20 minutes).

• Pressure pain threshold

  Baseline (after warm-up), immediately after fatigue protocol, and immediately after intervention (20 minutes).

• Rating of perceived exertion

  Baseline (after warm-up), immediately after fatigue protocol, immediately after intervention (20 minutes), 12 hours, and 24 hours.

• Delayed-onset muscle soreness.

  Baseline (after warm-up), 12 hours, and 24 hours.

Study Arms (2)

TECAR

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants assigned to this group will receive tecar therapy (TECAR) for 20 minutes. TECAR will be applied using the capacitive mode only, combining manual mobile application and fixed automatic application. The intervention will be applied after a standardized fatigue protocol consisting of repeated drop jumps, which is identical for all participants.

Device: Tecar therapy (capacitive mode)

Active recovery (usual care)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants assigned to this group will perform active recovery (usual care) consisting of continuous cycling on a cycle ergometer for 20 minutes at low intensity, not exceeding 2-3 on a 0-10 rating of perceived exertion scale. The intervention will be applied after a standardized fatigue protocol consisting of repeated drop jumps, which is identical for all participants. This intervention reflects standard recovery practices commonly used in athletic settings.

Behavioral: Active recovery using cycle ergometer

Interventions

Tecar therapy (capacitive mode) DEVICE

TECAR is applied using capacitive radiofrequency energy for 20 minutes following a standardized fatigue protocol. The intervention is delivered using capacitive mode only, combining manual mobile application and fixed automatic application over the quadriceps region to promote recovery after exercise-induced fatigue.

Also known as: Capacitive and resistive electric transfer therapy. Radiofrequency therapy

TECAR

Active recovery using cycle ergometer BEHAVIORAL

Active recovery consists of continuous cycling on a cycle ergometer for 20 minutes at low intensity, not exceeding 2-3 on a 0-10 rating of perceived exertion scale. This intervention is performed after a standardized fatigue protocol and reflects common recovery practices in athletic settings.

Also known as: Low-intensity cycling exercise

Active recovery (usual care)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adults aged 18 years or older
• Engaging in regular physical activity
• Experience with sports involving jumping or plyometric exercises

You may not qualify if:

• Performed intense physical exercise within 24 hours before the study
• Planned to perform intense physical exercise within 24 hours after the study
• Presence of muscle soreness at the beginning of the study
• Musculoskeletal injury in the previous 6 months

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba: lead

Study Sites (1)

Physiobalance

Córdoba, Córdoba, 14011, Spain

RECRUITING

Related Publications (3)

• Lettner J, Graventein L, Hakam HT, Ramadanov N, Becker R, Prill R. Assessment of Muscle Stiffness Using the MyotonPro: Effects of Fatigue on Vastus Lateralis and Medialis Muscles. J Pers Med. 2024 Mar 12;14(3):301. doi: 10.3390/jpm14030301.

  PMID: 38541043 BACKGROUND

• Nakamura M, Sato S, Kiyono R, Yahata K, Yoshida R, Kasahara K, Konrad A. The Effect of Capacitive and Resistive Electric Transfer Intervention on Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness Induced by Eccentric Exercise. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 8;19(9):5723. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19095723.

  PMID: 35565117 BACKGROUND

• Dupuy O, Douzi W, Theurot D, Bosquet L, Dugue B. An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Front Physiol. 2018 Apr 26;9:403. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00403. eCollection 2018.

  PMID: 29755363 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Myalgia; Fever

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; Body Temperature Changes

Study Officials

• Sandra Alcaraz Clariana, PhD PT

  Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC). Department of Nursing, Pharmacology and Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain;

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Sandra Alcaraz Clariana, PhD PT

CONTACT

+34625434043; m72alcls@uco.es

Lourdes García Luque, PhD PT

CONTACT

+34627366324; z12galul@uco.es

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Outcome assessors and investigators responsible for pre- and post-intervention measurements are blinded to group allocation. Participants are instructed not to disclose the assigned intervention. Due to the nature of the interventions, participants and providers cannot be blinded. Data analysis will be performed using coded data to ensure allocation concealment.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two parallel groups: TECAR therapy or active recovery (usual care). The study follows a pre-post design with repeated measurements, including baseline assessment, post-fatigue assessment, and post-intervention assessment. Additional follow-up measurements of perceived effort and muscle soreness will be collected at 12 and 24 hours after the intervention.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 26, 2026
• First Posted: April 23, 2026
• Study Start: April 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Last Updated: April 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

ES (1)