NCT07387276

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

"Effects of Multiple Muscle Recovery Techniques on Pain, Force, Temperature, and Muscle Oxygenation in Professional Athletes: A Randomized Crossover Trial"

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Sierra Varona SL · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: 18 Years – 35 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

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.

Detailed description

This project is designed as a randomized, double-blind (outcome assessor and statistician), crossover clinical trial. The study aims to address the critical need for evidence-based recovery strategies in high-demand sports such as basketball, where muscle overload is a primary risk factor for injury.The investigation will focus on the immediate physiological and functional effects of six widely utilized physiotherapy modalities:Capacitive and Resistive Energy Transfer (TECAR) Therapy: Utilized to improve tissue perfusion and modulate inflammatory responses through deep endogenous thermotherapy.Percussive Massage Therapy: Applied via mechanical vibration to reduce muscular stiffness and enhance explosive force restoration.Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT): Evaluated for its capacity to enhance muscular microcirculation and accelerate immediate tissue metabolic activity.Intermittent Pneumatic Compression (Pressotherapy): Targeted at reducing perceived pain and the sensation of limb heaviness through mechanical fluid drainage.Intermittent Negative Pressure Therapy (Vacuum Therapy): Investigated for its role in localized blood flow enhancement and pain modulation.Manual Sports Massage: Defined as the traditional manual intervention for reducing perceived muscle soreness and improving soft tissue flexibility.Physiological monitoring will be conducted using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) to measure muscle oxygen saturation ($SmO\_2$) and total hemoglobin, providing direct data on muscle oxidative metabolism. Functional outcomes will be assessed through pressure pain thresholds (PPT) via algometry and maximal isometric strength via dynamometry to determine the effectiveness of each technique in restoring neuromuscular homeostasis.The study will be conducted at the Sierra Varona Physiotherapy Clinic (Toledo, Spain) between February and March 2026..

Conditions

• Muscle Soreness
• Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
• Athletic Injuries

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)	Application of acoustic pulses to the gastrocnemius muscle to modulate tissue mechanotransduction and improve local microcirculation.
DEVICE	Massage Gun	Mechanical vibration applied to the calf muscles to promote myofascial release and neuromuscular recovery through high-frequency percussion.
DEVICE	TECAR Therapy	Application of high-frequency electromagnetic energy (diathermy) to the lower limb to induce deep endogenous heat and accelerate metabolic waste removal.
OTHER	Manual Massage	Systematic manipulation of soft tissues using manual techniques (effleurage and petrissage) focused on reducing muscle tension and perceived soreness.
DEVICE	cupping	Controlled suction therapy applied to the gastrocnemius to create space between fascial layers and stimulate lymphatic and venous drainage.
DEVICE	Pressotherapy	External pneumatic compression through a sequential inflation system to facilitate venous return and reduce lower limb edema post-effort.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-03-01
• Primary completion: 2026-04-15
• Completion: 2026-04-16
• First posted: 2026-02-04
• Last updated: 2026-03-12