Effects of Percussive Massage Treatments on Symptoms Associated with Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage.

Percussive massage (PM) is an emerging recovery treatment despite the lack of research on its effects post-eccentric exercise (post-EE). This study investigated the effects of PM treatments (immediately, 24, 48, and 72 h post-EE) on the maximal isometric torque (MIT), range of motion (ROM), and an 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS) of soreness of the nondominant arm's biceps brachii from 24-72 h post-EE. Seventeen untrained, college-aged subjects performed 60 eccentric elbow flexion actions with their nondominant arms. Nine received 1 minute of PM, versus eight who rested quietly (control [CON]). In order, NRS, ROM, and MIT (relative to body mass) were collected pre-eccentric exercise (pre-EE) and after treatment (AT) at 24, 48, and 72 h post-EE. NRS was also collected before treatment (BT). Electromyographic (EMG) and mechanomyographic (MMG) amplitudes were collected during the MIT and normalized to pre-EE. There were no interactions for MIT, EMG, or MMG, but there were interactions for ROM and NRS. For ROM, the PM group had higher values than the CON 24-72 h by ~6-8°, a faster return to pre-EE (PM: 48 h, CON: 72 h), and exceeded their pre-EE at 72 h by ~4°. The groups' NRS values did not differ BT 24-72 h; however, the PM group lowered their NRS from BT to AT within every visit by ~1 point per visit, which resulted in them having lower values than the CON from 24-72 h by ~2-3 points. Additionally, the PM group returned their NRS to pre-EE faster than the CON (PM: BT 72 h, CON: never). In conclusion, PM treatments may improve ROM without affecting isometric strength or muscle activation 24-72 h post-EE. Although the PM treatments did not enhance the recovery from delayed onset muscle soreness until 72 h, they consistently provided immediate, temporary relief when used 24-72 h post-EE.

The Effects of 2 Different Soft Tissue Mobilization Techniques on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness in Male Recreational Athletes: A Single-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial.

CONTEXT: Soft tissue mobilization is frequently employed for delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) management. Foam roller and percussive massage are 2 popular soft tissue mobilization methods preferred by various professionals. However, their effects on DOMS symptoms are controversial and there are no studies comparing these 2 methods. The aim of the present study was to compare the acute effects of soft tissue mobilization with a foam roller or a percussive massage device on DOMS in young male recreational athletes. DESIGN: A parallel, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Thirty-six participants (median [interquartile range 25/75]; age: 20.0 [19.3/21.0] y) were randomly allocated to percussive massage group (n = 12), foam roller group (n = 12), and control group (n = 12). First, a fatigue protocol targeting quadriceps femoris was performed. Then, participants received soft tissue mobilization with foam roller/percussive massage or rested for 10 minutes according to their groups. Pain and fatigue were evaluated by a visual analog scale, and the skin surface temperature of over the quadriceps femoris was measured with thermal camera imaging. Evaluations were performed at baseline, following fatigue protocol, at 24th hour, and at 48th hour. Changes from the baseline at 24th and 48th hours were compared between groups. RESULTS: No significant between-group differences were observed at the assessments performed at 24th or 48th hour regarding the changes from baseline in pain (P value for 24th hour = .905, P value for 48th hour = .733), fatigue (P value for 24th hour = .895, P value for 48th hour = .606), or skin surface temperature measurements (P values for 24th hour = between .300 and .925, P values for 48th hour = between .311 and .750). CONCLUSIONS: Soft tissue mobilizations applied with foam roller or percussive massage device do not seem to be superior to passive resting in alleviating DOMS symptoms in recreational athletes.

Self-Massage Techniques for the Management of Pain and Mobility With Application to Resistance Training: A Brief Review.

ABSTRACT: MacLennan, M, Ramirez-Campillo, R, and Byrne, PJ. Self-massage techniques for the management of pain and mobility with application to resistance training: a brief review. J Strength Cond Res 37(11): 2314-2323, 2023-Fascial restrictions that occur in response to myofascial trigger points (MTrP), exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), and delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) cause soft tissue to lose extensibility, which contributes to abnormal muscle mechanics, reduced muscle length, and decrements in joint range of motion (ROM) and actively contributes to musculoskeletal pain. Resistance training and in particular, weightlifting movements have unique mobility requirements imperative for movement efficacy and safety with ROM restrictions resulting in ineffective volume and intensity tolerance and dampened force output and power, which may lead to a failed lift or injury. Self-massage (SM) provides an expedient method to promote movement efficiency and reduce injury risk by improving ROM, muscular function, and reducing pain and allows athletes to continue to train at their desired frequency with minimal disruption from MTrPs-associated adverse effects. Thus, the aim of this review was to determine the efficacy of various self-massage tools in managing pain and mobility and to explore the potential benefits of SM on resistance training performance. Many SM devices are available for athletes to manage ROM restrictions and pain, including differing densities of foam rollers, roller massagers, tennis balls, and vibrating devices. To attenuate adverse training effects, a 10-to-20-minute bout consisting of 2-minute bouts of SM on the affected area may be beneficial. When selecting a SM device, athletes should note that foam rollers appear to be more effective than roller massagers, with vibrating foam rollers eliciting an increased reduction to pain perception, and tennis balls and soft massage balls were shown to be efficacious in targeting smaller affected areas.

Acute effects of foam roller or stick massage on indirect markers from exercise-induced muscle damage in healthy individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of foam roller or stick massage performed after exercise-induced muscle damage protocols on indirect markers of muscle damage compared to a non-intervention control group in healthy individuals. METHODS: PubMed, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library database were searched in August 2, 2020, with last update on February 21, 2021. Were included clinical trials involving healthy adult individuals who received foam roller/stick massage versus a non-intervention group and evaluated indirect markers of muscle damage. Risk of bias was assessed by the Cochrane Risk of Bias tools. Standardized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were used to measure the foam roller/stick massage effect on muscle soreness. RESULTS: The five included studies investigated 151 participants (136 men). Overall, the studies presented a moderate/high risk of bias. A between-groups meta-analysis showed no significant difference between massage and non-intervention control groups on muscle soreness immediately after (0.26 [95%CI: 0.14; 0.65], p = 0.20), 24 h (-0.64 [95%CI: 1.34; 0.07], p = 0.08), 48 h (-0.35 [95%CI: 0.85; 0.15], p = 0.17), 72 h (-0.40 [95%CI: 0.92; 0.12], p = 0.13), and 96 h (0.05 [95%CI: 0.40; 0.50], p = 0.82) after an exercise-induced muscle damage protocol. Moreover, the qualitative synthesis showed that foam roller or stick massage had no significant effect on range of motion, muscle swelling, and maximal voluntary isometric contraction recovery. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the current literature appears to not support the advantage of foam roller or stick massage to improve recovery of muscle damage indirect markers (muscle soreness, range of motion, muscle swelling, and maximal voluntary isometric contraction) compared to a non-intervention control group in healthy individuals. Furthermore, due to the heterogeneity of the methodological designs among the included studies, making it difficult to compare the results. In addition, there are not enough high-quality and well-designed studies on foam roller or stick massage to draw any definite conclusions. REVIEW PROTOCOL NUMBER: The study was pre-registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Review (PROSPERO) on August 2, 2020, with last update on February 21, 2021. Protocol number: CRD2017058559.

Acute exercise of painful muscles does not reduce the hypoalgesic response in young healthy women - a randomized crossover study.

OBJECTIVES: Exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) is characterized by an increase in pain threshold following acute exercise. EIH is reduced in some individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain, although the mechanisms are unknown. It has been hypothesized that this may relate to whether exercises are performed in painful or non-painful body regions. The primary aim of this randomized experimental crossover study was to investigate whether the presence of pain per se in the exercising muscles reduced the local EIH response. The secondary aim was to investigate if EIH responses were also reduced in non-exercising remote muscles. METHODS: Pain-free women (n=34) participated in three separate sessions. In session 1, the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) for a single legged isometric knee extension exercise was determined. In sessions 2 and 3, pressure pain thresholds (PPT) were assessed at the thigh and shoulder muscles before and after a 3-min exercise at 30 % of MVC. Exercises were performed with or without thigh muscle pain, which was induced by either a painful injection (hypertonic saline, 5.8 %) or a non-painful injection (isotonic saline, 0.9 %) into the thigh muscle. Muscle pain intensity was assessed with an 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS) at baseline, after injections, during and after exercises. RESULTS: PPTs increased at thigh and shoulder muscles after exercise with painful (14.0-24.9 %) and non-painful (14.3-19.5 %) injections and no significant between-injection EIH differences were observed (p>0.30). Muscle pain intensity was significantly higher following the painful injection compared to the non-painful injection (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Exercising painful muscles did not reduce the local or remote hypoalgesic responses, suggesting that the pain-relieving effects of isometric exercises are not reduced by exercising painful body regions. ETHICAL COMMITTEE NUMBER: S-20210184. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05299268.

Effect of Kinesio tape and Compression sleeves on delayed onset of muscle soreness: a single-blinded randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Both Kinesio Tape (KT) and Compression Sleeves (CS) can relieve Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) to a certain extent, but there is no study report on the difference in the effectiveness of the KT and CS whether the effect is better when used at the same time. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of KT and CS on the recovery of muscle soreness, isokinetic strength, and body fatigue after DOMS. METHODS: In this single-blinded randomized controlled trial, 32 participants aged 18 to 24 years were randomly divided into Control group (CG), Compression Sleeves group (CSG), Kinesio Tape group (KTG), Compression Sleeves and Kinesio Tape group (CSKTG), between October 2021 and January 2022. KTG uses Kinesio Tape, CSG wears Compression Sleeves, and CSKTG uses both Compression Sleeves and Kinesio Tape. Outcomes were performed at five-time points (baseline, 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h), Primary outcome was pain level Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and Secondary outcomes were Interleukin 6, Peak Torque/Body Weight, Work Fatigue. Statistical analyses were performed using the repeated measures analysis of variance method. SETTING: Laboratory. RESULTS: After the intervention, VAS reached the highest at 24 h after exercise-induced muscle soreness, while the KTG and CSG at each time point were less than CG, and the scores of CSKTG at 24 h and 48 h were less than those of KTG and CSG in the same period (P < 0.05). Interleukin 6, at 24 h, CSKTG is lower than KTG 0.71(95%CI: 0.43 to 1.86) and CG 1.68(95%CI: 0.06 to 3.29). Peak Torque/Body Weight, at 24 h, CG was lower than CSKTG 0.99(95%CI: 0.42 to 1.56), KTG 0.94(95%CI: 0.37 to 1.52), and CSG 0.72(95%CI: 0.14 to 1.29); at 72 h, CG was lower than CSKTG 0.65(95%CI: 0.13 to 1.17) and KTG 0.58(95%CI: 0.06 to 1.10). Work Fatigue, at 24 h, CG was lower than KTG 0.10(95%CI: 0.02 to 1.78) and CSKTG 0.01(95%CI: -0.07 to 0.09). At 48 h, CG was lower than KTG 0.10(95%CI: 0.13 to 1.17) and CSKTG 0.11(95%CI: 0.03 to 0.18). CONCLUSIONS: Kinesio Tape can significantly reduce DOMS pain, and Kinesio Tape has a better recovery effect on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness than Compression Sleeves. Kinesio Tape combined with Compression Sleeves is helpful to alleviate the Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness pain, speeding up the recovery of muscle strength, and shortening the recovery time after Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration number: This study was also registered on 11/10/2021, at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100051973).

Cold-water immersion and whole-body cryotherapy attenuate muscle soreness during 3 days of match-like tennis protocol.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of whole-body cryotherapy (WBC), cold-water immersion (CWI) and passive recovery (PAS) on tennis recovery. METHODS: Thirteen competitive male tennis players completed three consecutive match-like tennis protocols, followed by recovery (WBC, CWI, PAS) in a crossover design. Five tennis drills and serves were performed using a ball machine to standardize the fatiguing protocol. Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) peak torque, creatine kinase activity (CK), muscle soreness, ball accuracy and velocity together with voluntary activation, low- and high-frequency torque and EMG activity were recorded before each protocol and 24 h following the third protocol. RESULTS: MVC peak torque (- 7.7 ± 11.3%; p = 0.001) and the high- to low-frequency torque ratio (- 10.0 ± 25.8%; p < 0.05) decreased on Day 1 but returned to baseline on Day 2, Day 3 and Day 4 (p = 0.052, all p > 0.06). The CK activity slightly increased from 161.0 ± 100.2 to 226.0 ± 106.7 UA L-1 on Day 1 (p = 0.001) and stayed at this level (p = 0.016) across days with no differences between recovery interventions. Muscle soreness increased across days with PAS recovery (p = 0.005), while no main effect of time was neither observed with WBC nor CWI (all p > 0.292). The technical performance was maintained across protocols with WBC and PAS, while it increased for CWI on Day 3 vs Day 1 (p = 0.017). CONCLUSION: Our 1.5-h tennis protocol led to mild muscle damage, though neither the neuromuscular function nor the tennis performance was altered due to accumulated workload induced by consecutive tennis protocols. The muscle soreness resulting from tennis protocols was similarly alleviated by both CWI and WBC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRB No. 2017-A02255-48, 12/05/2017.

Efficiency of occlusal splint therapy on orofacial muscle pain reduction: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review aims to examine the existing original studies to determine the effectiveness of occlusal splints (OSs) in the management of orofacial myalgia and myofascial pain (MP) in comparison with no treatment or other interventions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of this systematic review, randomized controlled trials were qualified, in which the effectiveness of occlusal splint therapy in the management of muscle pain was examined in comparison with no treatment or other interventions. This systematic review was conducted according to the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis 2020. The authors searched three databases (PubMed, CINAHL (The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) and Scopus) for English publications published between January 1, 2010, and June 1, 2022. The last database search was carried out on June 4, 2022. Data were extracted from the included studies and assessed for risk of bias using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. RESULTS: Thirteen studies were identified for inclusion in this review. In total, 589 patients were diagnosed with orofacial muscle pain who underwent education and various forms of therapy including different types of OSs, light emitting diode therapy, acupuncture, low-level laser therapy, device-supported sensorimotor training, Kinesio Taping, myofunctional therapy, and physical therapy. All studies included demonstrated a high risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence regarding whether OS therapy in the treatment of orofacial myalgia and MP offers an advantage over other forms of interventions or no treatment. Further reliable clinical studies in this area are needed to improve the quality of research, which should be performed with larger groups of blinded respondents and controls. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Due to the large-scale nature of orofacial muscle pain, it is assumed that each dental clinician will meet patients with orofacial muscle pain repeatedly in daily practice; hence, the review of the effectiveness of OSs in the management of orofacial myalgia and MP is necessary.

Effects of far-infrared radiation lamp therapy on recovery from muscle damage induced by eccentric exercise.

The present study investigated the effects of a far-infrared radiation (FIR) lamp therapy on changes in muscle damage and proprioception markers after maximal eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors (EF: Study 1) and the knee flexors (KF: Study 2) in comparison to a sham treatment condition. In each study, 24 healthy sedentary women were assigned to a FIR or a sham treatment group (n = 12/group). They performed 72 maximal EF eccentric contractions (Study 1) or 100 maximal KF eccentric contractions (Study 2) with their non-dominant limbs. They received a 30-min FIR (wavelength: 8-14 µm) or sham treatment at 1, 25, 49, 73 and 97 h post-exercise to the exercised muscles. Maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) torque, muscle soreness, plasma creatine kinase activity, and proprioception assessed by position sense, joint reaction angle, and force match were measured before, and 0.5, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h post-exercise. The outcome measures showed significant changes (P < 0.05) at 0.5-hour post-exercise (before treatment) similarly (P > 0.05) between the conditions in both studies. However, changes in all measures at 24-120 h post-exercise were smaller (P < 0.05) for the FIR than sham condition in both studies. For example, MVC torque returned to the baseline by 72 h post-exercise for the FIR condition in both studies, but was still 19 ± 6% (Study 1) or 17 ± 12% (Study 2) lower than the baseline at 120 h post-exercise for the sham condition. These results suggested that the FIR lamp therapy was effective for accelerating recovery from muscle damage.

FIR lamp therapy was effective for recovering muscle strength and proprioception 1­3 days faster to the baseline.FIR lamp therapy was effective for attenuating muscle soreness by 55­60%, and reducing peak plasma CK activity by 45­89%.The effects of the FIR lamp therapy appear to be greater than other therapeutic interventions for eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage that have been investigated previously.

What Parameters Influence the Effect of Cold-Water Immersion on Muscle Soreness? An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine the efficacy of cold-water immersion (CWI) on the management of muscle soreness to identify the impact of immersion time, water temperature, CWI protocol, and type of exercise on this outcome. DESIGN: Intervention systematic review and meta-analysis. SETTING: MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Central, and SPORTDiscus databases were searched from their earliest record to July 30, 2020. Only randomized controlled trials that assessed muscle soreness comparing CWI and control were included. Studies were pooled in different subgroups regarding the used protocol: water temperature (severe or moderate cold), immersion time (short, medium, or longer time), CWI protocol (intermittent or continuous application), and type of exercise (endurance or resistance exercise). Data were pooled in a meta-analysis and described as weighted mean difference (95% confidence interval, P < 0.05). PARTICIPANTS: Athletes and nonathletes. INTERVENTIONS: Cold-water immersion and control condition. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Muscle soreness. RESULTS: Forty-four studies were included. For immediate effects, CWI was superior to control regardless of water temperature and protocol, and for short and medium immersion times and endurance exercises. For delayed effects, CWI was superior to control in all subgroups except longer immersions time. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that CWI is better than control for the management of muscle soreness and water temperature and CWI protocol do not influence this result, but only short and medium immersions times presented positive effects. Aiming immediate effects, the best results suggest CWI application only after endurance exercises, while delayed effect CWI was superior both after endurance and resistance exercises.

The Effect of Theta Burst Stimulation Over the Primary Motor Cortex on Experimental Hamstring Pain: A Randomized, Controlled Study.

Theta burst stimulation (TBS) over the primary motor cortex (M1) is an emerging technique that may have utility in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain. However, previous work exploring the analgesic effects of noninvasive brain stimulation has been limited largely to the arm or hand, despite 80% of acute musculoskeletal injuries occurring in the lower limb. This is a pertinent point, given the functional and neurophysiological differences between upper and lower limb musculature, as well as evidence suggesting that reorganization of corticomotor pathways is region-specific. This study investigated the effect of excitatory TBS on pain, function, and corticomotor organization during experimentally induced lower limb pain. Twenty-eight healthy participants attended 2 experimental sessions. On Day 0, participants completed 10 sets of 10 maximal eccentric contractions of the right hamstring muscles to induce delayed onset muscle soreness. Four consecutive blocks of either active or sham TBS were delivered on Day 2. Measures of mechanical sensitivity, pain (muscle soreness, pain intensity, pain area) function (single-leg hop distance, maximum voluntary isometric contraction, lower extremity functional scale), and corticomotor organization were recorded before and after TBS on Day 2. Pain and function were also assessed daily from Days 2 to 10. Active TBS reduced mechanical sensitivity compared to sham stimulation (P = .01). Corticomotor organization did not differ between groups, suggesting that improvements in mechanical sensitivity were not mediated by changes in M1. Subjective reports of pain intensity and function did not change following active TBS, contrasting previous reports in studies of the upper limb. PERSPECTIVE: M1 TBS reduces mechanical sensitivity associated with experimentally induced hamstring pain. Though further work is needed, these findings may hold important implications for those seeking to expedite recovery or reduce muscle sensitivity following hamstring injury.

Trigger point injections followed by immediate myofascial release in the treatment of pelvic floor tension myalgia.

PURPOSE: Pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) is first-line therapy for treatment of pelvic floor tension myalgia (PFTM). Pelvic floor trigger point injections (PFTPI) are added if symptoms are refractive to conservative therapy or if patients experience a flare. The primary objective was to determine if a session of physical therapy with myofascial release immediately following PFTPI provides improved pain relief compared to trigger point injection alone. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort analysis of 87 female patients with PFTM who underwent PFTPI alone or PFTPI immediately followed by PFPT. Visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores were recorded pre-treatment and 2 weeks post-treatment. The primary outcome was the change in VAS between patients who received PFTPI alone and those who received PFTPI followed by myofascial release. RESULTS: Of the 87 patients in this study, 22 received PFTPI alone and 65 patients received PFTPI followed by PFPT. The median pre-treatment VAS score was 8 for both groups. The median post-treatment score was 6 for the PFTPI only group and 4 for the PFTPI followed by PFPT group, showing a median change in VAS score of 2 and 4, respectively (p = 0.042). Seventy-seven percent of patients in the PFTPI followed by PFPT group had a VAS score improvement of 3 or more, while 45% of patients in the PFTPI only group had a VAS score improvement greater than 3 (p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: PFTPI immediately followed by PFPT offered more improvement in pain for patients with PFTM. This may be due to greater tolerance of myofascial release immediately following injections.

Effects of Cold-Water Immersion Compared with Other Recovery Modalities on Athletic Performance Following Acute Strenuous Exercise in Physically Active Participants: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression.

BACKGROUND: Studies investigating the effects of common recovery modalities following acute strenuous exercise have reported mixed results. OBJECTIVES: This systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression compared the effects of cold-water immersion (CWI) against other common recovery modalities on recovery of athletic performance, perceptual outcomes, and creatine kinase (CK) following acute strenuous exercise in physically active populations. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. METHODS: The MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EmCare, and Embase databases were searched up until September 2022. Studies were included if they were peer reviewed, published in English, included participants who were involved in sport or deemed physically active, compared CWI with other recovery modalities following an acute bout of strenuous exercise, and included measures of performance, perceptual measures of recovery, or CK. RESULTS: Twenty-eight studies were meta-analysed. CWI was superior to other recovery methods for recovering from muscle soreness, and similar to other methods for recovery of muscular power and flexibility. CWI was more effective than active recovery, contrast water therapy and warm-water immersion for most recovery outcomes. Air cryotherapy was significantly more effective than CWI for the promotion of recovery of muscular strength and the immediate recovery of muscular power (1-h post-exercise). Meta-regression revealed that water temperature and exposure duration were rarely exposure moderators. CONCLUSION: CWI is effective for promoting recovery from acute strenuous exercise in physically active populations compared with other common recovery methods. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/NGP7C.

The effect of vibration training on delayed muscle soreness: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is caused by unaccustomed exercise, especially eccentric exercise, and is highly likely to cause skeletal muscle injury. It mainly manifests as ultrastructural changes in skeletal muscle, as well as decreased muscle strength, muscle soreness, swelling, and elevated levels of creatine kinase (CK). Vibration training (VT) has been attracting increasing attention as a new type of rehabilitation therapy. It can effectively minimize the occurrence and relieve the symptoms of DOMS, reduce muscle stiffness and soreness, and reduce serum concentrations of CK and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). This article systematically assessed the impact of VT on the mitigation of DOMS through a meta-analysis to provide updated evidence-based information. METHODS: Electronic databases such as China Knowledge Network, VIP Electronics, PubMed, EBSCO, and Web of Science were searched to identify randomized controlled trials of VT on DOMS. Searches were performed from database creation to November 2021. The quality of the literature was assessed using the Cochrane Manual for the Systematic Review of Interventions, and meta-analyses were performed using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS: VT intervention in DOMS was shown to effectively reduce subjective pain, improve pain tolerance, and accelerate the reduction of serum CK and LDH concentrations. Subgroup analysis of different test time periods showed that subjective pain decreased more significantly after 48 hours than after the other 2 time periods, and pain tolerance increased more significantly after 72 hours than the other 2 time periods; serum CK was significantly increased after 24 and 48 hours of intervention, but showed no significant change compared with the control group after 72 hours. Serum LDH decreased significantly after 24 hours of intervention, but there was no significant difference compared with the control group after 48 hours or 72 hours. CONCLUSION: VT effectively reduced the subjective pain sensation after DOMS, increased the pain threshold, reduced serum LDH and CK concentrations, and accelerated muscle damage repair compared with control interventions. However, the effect of improving the range of motion of the joints is not clear and should be studied further. REGISTRATION: number: INPLASY2021120115.

Effect of vertical vibration stimulation at different frequencies on delayed muscle soreness in athletes: A randomized trial.

Background: The effect of stimulation with different vibration frequencies on delayed muscle soreness (DOMS) has not yet been determined. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of medium- and high-frequency vertical vibration stimulation on DOMS in track and field athletes. Methods: A total of 38 elite men's track and field athletes were recruited during the off-season. Through the digital randomization method, the participants were divided into three groups. Two-knee DOMS modeling was performed on the medium-frequency group (MFG, 25 Hz, n = 13), high-frequency group (HFG, 50 Hz, n = 12) and control group (CG, 0 Hz, n = 13). The three groups were matched in age, height and body mass. Vertical vibration stimulation was performed for 10 min on the MFG and HFG. Visual analog score (VAS); interleukin-6 (IL-6), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) levels and knee extension peak torque (PT) were determined immediately and at 24, 48, and 72 h after vibration. Results: The 48 and 72 h VASs of the HFG were lower than those of the MFG and CG. The immediate and 24 and 48 h IL-6 concentrations in the HFG were lower than those in the CG. The 24 h IL-6 concentration in the HFG was lower than that in the MFG and that in the MFG was lower than that in the CG. LDH concentrations at different time points did not differ amongst groups. Immediate and 24 h CK concentrations were lower in the HFG than in the CG. The immediate and 24, 48, and 72 h knee extensions at 60°/s PT were lower in the HFG than in the CG. The immediate and 24 and 48 h knee extension at 60 °/s PT in the MFG were lower than those in the CG. The 24 h knee extension (240°/s peak torque) value in the HFG was lower than that in the CG. Conclusion: Stimulation with 50 Hz (amplitude of 3 mm) vibration can reduce the muscle pain, IL-6 and CK concentrations and knee extension loss caused by DOMS. However, stimulation with 25 Hz (amplitude of 3 mm) vibration had poor effects. Results suggested that high-frequency vibration training is an effective strategy for relieving DOMS after intensive training.

Cross-education effect of vibration foam rolling on eccentrically damaged muscles.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies showed that vibration foam rolling (VFR) on damaged muscles improves muscle soreness and range of motion (ROM). VFR intervention can also increase the ROM and pain pressure threshold (PPT) in the non-rolling side, known as a cross-education effect. However, this is not clear for the non-rolling side. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the cross-education effects of VFR intervention on ROM, muscle soreness, and PPT in eccentrically damaged muscles. METHODS: Participants were sedentary healthy male volunteers (n=14, 21.4±0.7 y) who performed eccentric exercise of the knee extensors with the dominant leg and received 90-s VFR intervention of the quadriceps at the nondamaged side 48 h after the eccentric exercise. The dependent variables were measured before the exercise (baseline), before (preintervention), and after VFR intervention (postintervention) 48 h after the eccentric exercise. The Bonferroni post hoc test was used to determine the differences between baseline, preintervention, and postintervention. RESULTS: Results showed that the VFR intervention on the nondamaged side 48 h after the eccentric exercise improved significantly (p<0.05) the knee flexion ROM, muscle soreness at palpation, and PPT compared to baseline. CONCLUSION: VFR intervention on the nondamaged side can recover ROM and muscle soreness in eccentrically damaged muscles.

Immediate curative effects of exercise therapy in patients with myalgia of the masticatory muscles.

BACKGROUND: Exercise therapy is occasionally considered as an initial treatment for temporomandibular disorders. However, pain can be exacerbated during exercise therapy. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the immediate curative effects of exercise therapy in patients with masticatory muscle myalgia. METHODS: Fifty-nine patients with masticatory muscle myalgia were included. Therapists performed exercise therapy (stretched the painful masseter and/or cervical muscles along the direction of muscle contraction) in 10 rounds of traction, each lasting 10 s. The patient's pain-free maximum mouth opening distance and degree of pain (VAS value) before and immediately after exercise therapy were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for the subgroup comparisons. RESULTS: Mouth opening increased from 41 (IQR 38-43) to 46 (IQR 43-48) mm and pain alleviation from 48 (IQR 31-56) to 21 (IQR 10-56) immediately following exercise therapy (p < .001 for both). None of the patients experienced pain exacerbation or reduction in mouth opening post-exercise. No difference in mouth opening distance changes according to sex, painful side, painful site and therapist were observed (p > .05 for all). Pain reduction was greater in patients with unilateral pain (26, IQR 12-39) than those with bilateral (13, IQR 5-25) (p = .019). There were no differences in the change in the degree of pain according to sex, painful site and therapist (p > .05 for all). CONCLUSION: Exercise therapy immediately enlarged the mouth opening distance and reduced myalgia; therefore, it could be helpful in managing masticatory muscle myalgia.

The Effect of Capacitive and Resistive Electric Transfer Intervention on Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness Induced by Eccentric Exercise.

This study aimed to investigate the acute effect of capacitive and resistive electric transfer (CRet) intervention on eccentrically damaged muscle. A total of 28 healthy and sedentary male volunteers were randomly allocated to either CRet intervention or control groups. The participants performed a bout of eccentric exercise of the knee extensors with the dominant leg and received 30 min of CRet intervention of the quadriceps 48 h after the exercise. The dependent variables for the analysis were knee flexion range of motion (ROM), muscle soreness and maximum voluntary isometric (MVC-ISO), and concentric contraction (MVC-CON) torque of the knee extensors. These were measured prior to exercise (baseline) and before and after CRet intervention (48 h after the exercise). The results showed that knee flexion ROM, muscle strength (MVC-ISO and MVC-CON), and muscle soreness significantly improved after CRet intervention. CRet intervention may improve muscle soreness and loss of muscle function in an eccentrically damaged muscle.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of arnica montana 6ch in the control of postoperative myalgia by isometric effort in dentistry

Arnica montana 6CH is a medicine indicated for inflammatory and painful conditions, especially in muscle structures. The RDC / TMD Axis II questionnaire is a validated tool for the diagnosis of Temporomandibular Muscle Dysfunction. Objective: This multicenter, randomized and controlled study, approved by Human or Animal Research Ethics Committee UniFOA -CAAE: 48680015.3.0000.5237 aimed to verify the clinical performance of Arnica montana 6CH in contractures and muscle pain triggered by isometric stress. Materials and Methods: 70 patients underwent prolongeddental treatment sessions, and they were selected after clinical examination and positive responses to the RDC / TMD questionnaire to confirm signs and symptoms of Temporomandibular Muscle Dysfunction at the first consultation. Randomly, Arnica montana 6CH was prescribed for 35 patients called group I, and placebo for 35 patients called group II, at a dose of 5 globules, 03 times a day, for 1 week. In the second endodontic consultation, after 15 days, a new clinical examination was performed at the beginning and end of the prolonged dental consultation with crossing of data from the RDC questionnaire, to monitor the prevalence of TMD muscle signs and symptoms. The data were tabulated and analyzed. Statistical analysis: The test t de Student was used for paired samples, significant at the level ≤ 0.05%. Results:Anamnetic data from the RDC questionnaire, 86% of the individuals in the GI had lower pain and muscle contracture rates in the second consultation, compared with 22% in the GII. Conclusion:The drug Arnica montana 6CH proved to be effective in preventing muscle changes and clinical symptoms resulting from isometric efforts with a statistically significant difference (p ≤ 0.05).