Effect of Combined Active Recovery and Foam Rolling Enhance Lactate Clearance and Reduce Muscle Soreness Following a Simulated Running Competition

Background:

Recovery strategies are crucial in sprinting to restore physiological homeostasis, reduce muscle fatigue, and prevent injury. Active recovery (AR) through light jogging has been shown to facilitate lactate clearance and maintain cardiovascular stability. Foam rolling (FR) has recently gained popularity as a self-myofascial release technique, potentially enhancing recovery by improving blood flow, reducing muscle stiffness, and decreasing perceived soreness. However, evidence in competitive 400-meter sprint athletes remains limited.

Study Design:

This study is a randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms. Twenty competitive 400-meter sprint athletes will be recruited and randomized into:

Experimental group: AR + FR Control group: AR only Randomization will occur prior to the study day. Participants will remain blinded to their group allocation, ensuring unbiased outcome assessment. On the study day, participants perform a 400-meter sprint. Afterward, both groups perform 5 minutes of light jogging (AR). Then, participants in the experimental group continue with 10 minutes of foam rolling on key lower limb muscles (quadriceps, hamstring, gastrocnemius).

Outcome Measures:

Primary Outcomes:

Blood lactate (mmol/L), pre- and post-recovery Heart rate (bpm), baseline, pre-exercise, post-recovery

Secondary Outcomes:

Muscle soreness (VAS 0-10), assessed in quadriceps, hamstring, and gastrocnemius at baseline, pre-exercise, post-recovery, 1 hour, and 24 hours

Procedures:

Lactate measured via finger-prick using a lactate analyzer Heart rate recorded using Polar H-10 chest strap monitor Muscle soreness assessed using standardized VAS

Study Location:

All procedures will take place at Athletics Track, Surabaya State University, Indonesia.

Ethical Considerations:

This study has received ethical approval from Komite Etik Penelitian Kesehatan STIKES Guna Bangsa Yogyakarta (009/KEPK/II/2026). Participants will provide written informed consent prior to enrollment.

Significance:

This study will provide evidence on whether adding foam rolling to active recovery enhances physiological and perceptual recovery markers in sprint athletes, potentially informing best practices in sprint training and competition recovery protocols.

Inclusion criteria

• Male university athletes specializing in 400-meter sprint.
• Age between 18 and 23 years.
• Currently training regularly and free from musculoskeletal injuries.
• Willing to provide written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• History of cardiovascular, metabolic, or musculoskeletal disorders.
• Use of performance-enhancing drugs or supplements in the past 3 months.
• Inability to perform maximal sprint due to injury or other medical conditions.
• Refusal or inability to provide written informed consent.