Isometric Exercise for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

NCT07627152 | Completed

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

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether isometric exercise can improve recovery following experimentally induced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in healthy young adults. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does isometric exercise reduce pain associated with delayed onset muscle soreness?
• Does isometric exercise improve pressure pain threshold, knee joint range of motion, muscle strength, and recovery following delayed onset muscle soreness? Researchers will compare participants performing an isometric exercise program with a control group receiving no intervention to determine whether isometric exercise improves recovery after experimentally induced DOMS. Participants will:
• Undergo a standardized exercise protocol to induce delayed onset muscle soreness.
• Be randomly assigned to either an isometric exercise group or a control group.
• Complete assessments of pain intensity, pressure pain threshold, knee range of motion, muscle strength, and thigh circumference.
• Be evaluated before exercise, immediately after exercise, and on Days 1, 3, and 5 following DOMS induction.

Conditions

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

Keywords

Isometric Exercise; Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage; Pressure Pain Threshold; Pain; Recovery; Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Pressure Pain Threshold

  Pressure pain threshold measured using a digital pressure algometer following experimentally induced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

  Baseline, immediately after exercise, Day 1, Day 3, and Day 5 following DOMS induction.

• Pain Intensity

  Pain intensity assessed using a 10-cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) following experimentally induced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

  Baseline, immediately after exercise, Day 1, Day 3, and Day 5 following DOMS induction.

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Knee Joint Range of Motion

  Baseline, immediately after exercise, Day 1, Day 3, and Day 5 following DOMS induction.

• Quadriceps Muscle Strength

  Baseline, immediately after exercise, Day 1, Day 3, and Day 5 following DOMS induction.

• Thigh Circumference

  Baseline, immediately after exercise, Day 1, Day 3, and Day 5 following DOMS induction.

Study Arms (2)

Isometric Exercise Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group underwent a standardized protocol to induce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and subsequently performed a structured quadriceps isometric exercise program during the recovery period.

Other: Isometric Exercise

Sham Exercise Group

SHAM COMPARATOR

Participants performed a sham exercise protocol following experimentally induced delayed onset muscle soreness. The sham intervention was designed to mimic the attention and participation associated with the experimental intervention without providing the intended therapeutic effect.

Other: Sham Exercise

Interventions

Isometric Exercise OTHER

Participants performed a structured quadriceps isometric exercise program following experimentally induced delayed onset muscle soreness. The exercise protocol was applied according to the study protocol throughout the recovery period.

Isometric Exercise Group

Sham Exercise OTHER

Participants performed a sham exercise protocol following experimentally induced delayed onset muscle soreness. The sham intervention was designed to mimic the attention and participation associated with the experimental intervention without providing the intended therapeutic effect.

Sham Exercise Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 30 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Active athletes competing in University sports teams.
• Age between 18 and 30 years.
• Participation in organized sports training at least three times per week for the previous six months.
• No lower-extremity pain at the time of enrollment.
• Ability to safely perform the exercise protocol used to induce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
• Willingness to provide written informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• History of lower-extremity musculoskeletal injury within the previous 6 months.
• Previous lower-extremity surgery.
• Current musculoskeletal pain or injury affecting sports participation.
• Neurological, rheumatological, cardiovascular, or systemic disorders affecting physical performance.
• Use of analgesic, anti-inflammatory, or muscle-relaxant medications during the study period.
• Participation in strenuous eccentric exercise within 72 hours prior to baseline testing.
• Use of recovery interventions (e.g., massage, cryotherapy, compression garments, electrical stimulation) during the study period.
• Inability to complete the exercise protocol or follow-up assessments.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istanbul Nisantasi University: lead

Study Sites (1)

İstanbul Nisantasi University

Istanbul, Maslak, 34398, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (5)

• Di Lorenzo L, Forte AM, Agosti V, Forte F, Lanciano T, Pirraglia N, D'Avanzo C. Advances in Non-Pharmacological Strategies for DOMS: A Scoping and Critical Review of Recent Evidence. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2025 Nov 20;10(4):452. doi: 10.3390/jfmk10040452.

  PMID: 41283559 BACKGROUND

• de Morais ACL, Machado AS, Pereira MEF, da Silva W, Priego-Quesada JI, Carpes FP. Intensity and volume of physical exercise influence DOMS and skin temperature differently in healthy adults. Sci Rep. 2024 Dec 5;14(1):30282. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-79785-2.

  PMID: 39632894 BACKGROUND

• Rio E, van Ark M, Docking S, Moseley GL, Kidgell D, Gaida JE, van den Akker-Scheek I, Zwerver J, Cook J. Isometric Contractions Are More Analgesic Than Isotonic Contractions for Patellar Tendon Pain: An In-Season Randomized Clinical Trial. Clin J Sport Med. 2017 May;27(3):253-259. doi: 10.1097/JSM.0000000000000364.

  PMID: 27513733 BACKGROUND

• Rio E, Kidgell D, Purdam C, Gaida J, Moseley GL, Pearce AJ, Cook J. Isometric exercise induces analgesia and reduces inhibition in patellar tendinopathy. Br J Sports Med. 2015 Oct;49(19):1277-83. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2014-094386. Epub 2015 May 15.

  PMID: 25979840 BACKGROUND

• Fleckenstein J, Simon P, Konig M, Vogt L, Banzer W. The pain threshold of high-threshold mechanosensitive receptors subsequent to maximal eccentric exercise is a potential marker in the prediction of DOMS associated impairment. PLoS One. 2017 Oct 6;12(10):e0185463. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185463. eCollection 2017.

  PMID: 28985238 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pain

Interventions

Exercise

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: PT, MSc., PhD(c)

Model Details: Participants were randomly assigned to either an isometric exercise group or a control group. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) was induced using a standardized drop-jump protocol. The intervention group performed a structured isometric exercise program, whereas the control group received no intervention. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately after exercise, and on Days 1, 3, and 5 following DOMS induction.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 30, 2026
• First Posted: June 4, 2026
• Study Start: April 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: July 18, 2025
• Study Completion: July 18, 2025
• Last Updated: June 4, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ANALYTIC CODE
• Time Frame: De-identified individual participant data, study protocol, statistical analysis plan, and analytic code will be available beginning 6 months after publication of the primary study results and ending 5 years after publication.
• Access Criteria: De-identified individual participant data and supporting documents will be made available to qualified researchers upon reasonable request. Requests must include a methodologically sound research proposal and will be reviewed by the study investigators. Data will be provided after approval of the request and completion of an appropriate data-sharing agreement. Access will be limited to data necessary to achieve the approved research objectives.

Locations

TU (1)