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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04541901

Massage and Cold Water Immersion on Movement Variability After Fatigue in Swimmers

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effectiveness of post-exercise massage and cold-water immersion compared to control in young elite swimmers. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Is post-exercise techniques effective for recovery of the movement variability, , myotonometric, ergometric and perceptive parameters after fatigue? * Can neuromuscular fatigue protocols impair movement variability, myotonometric, ergometric and perceptive parameters? * What tests are reliable to assess different aspects of swimmers' recovery?

Researchers will compare massage and cold-water immersion to control and to each other to see if recovery is antecipated. They will also compare an in-water and an out-of-water fatigue protocol to see if they are effective and can be used in different settings.

Participants will:

* Perform test and retest sessions to assess movement variability, myotonometric, ergometric and perceptive parameters. * Perform an in-water fatigue protocol consisting of 8x100m front-crawl sprints * Receive three recovery strategies in a randomized order (massage, cold-water immersion and control (i.e. rest) * Answer a questionnaire regarding ther beliefs and preferences for recovery.

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Key information

Conditions

Movement Disorders Central Nervous System Diseases Muscle Tone Nervous System Diseases Perceived Exertion

Age range

15 year–30 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Faculty of Science and Technology (UNESP)

Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, 19060-900, Brazil

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • male and female athletes
  • between 15 and 30 years old
  • no injury over the last month (any complaint that prevented the athlete from training or compete at least once)

Exclusion criteria

  • use of pain killers at least 24h before study participation

Treatment and study plan

Massage

Other

12 minutes of effleurage and petrissage on the upper limbs

Cold Water Immersion

Other

12 minutes of cold water immersion at the shoulder level with water temperature between 11 to 15°C

Primary outcomes

  1. Movement variability

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of crossover treatments at 6 weeks

    Obtained from time series of biomechanical data expressed as degrees of shoulder and elbow flexion, and ergometric variables (i.e. pace, stroke frequency and average power) executed during a simulated out of water swim ergometric test to understand the impacts of fatigue on movement and explore changes during recovery. Measured at baseline, post-fatigue and post-interventions.

    Joint angles time series of shoulder and elbow flexion and ergometric variables were aggregated using mean, standard deviation and variation coefficients for data analyses.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Swim-related perceptions

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of crossover treatments at 6 weeks

    Self-reported ratings regarding physical and mental readiness for exercise, fatigue, vigor, somnolence, pain, and perception of effort and recovery, measured by a numerical rating scale ranging from 0 (nothing) to 10 (extreme). Measured at baseline, post-fatigue and post-interventions

  2. Myotonometry

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of crossover treatments at 6 weeks

    Muscle tone, stiffness and elasticity were assessed by the MyotonPRO. The equipment probe will be placed perpendicular to the skin surface on the muscle belly previously marked with a pen by the evaluator at 1: Deltoid; 2: Pectoralis Major; 3: Biceps brachii; 4: Upper Trapezius; 5: Latissimus dorsi; 7: Triceps. Values were deemed acceptable if there were less than 3% of variation between the impulses. Measured at baseline, post-fatigue and post-interventions.

  3. Skin temperature

    Time frame: From week 4 to 6

    The temperature will be measured using an infrared thermographic camera, at the same points of myotonometry. Measured before and after the interventions.

  4. Beliefs in the recovery techniques

    Time frame: Week 6

    Participants will be asked if they believe that massage, cold-water immersion and resting contribute to their recovery before and after the study

  5. Preference

    Time frame: Week 6

    After the study the participants will be asked which of the interventions they preferred to received to recover from the fatiguing exercise

  6. Sense of position

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of crossover treatments at 6 weeks

    Participants will be asked to position their dominant upper limb at 90° which will be indicated by a target fixed on the wall 1 meter ahead of them. They will have 3 chances to point at the target and memorize the position. Afterwards, participants will have 3 chances to point at the target without vision (by blindfold). Measured at baseline, post-fatigue and post-interventions

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Flávia Carvalho

Other

Collaborators

  • São Paulo State University
  • Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho

Registry information

Official study title

Effects of Post Exercise Massage and Cold-water Immersion on Movement Variability After Fatigue in Swimmers: a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2023
First posted
Sep 9, 2020
Registry last updated
Nov 5, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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