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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04242485

Osteopathy Treatment and Cardiovascular Recovery After a Rugby Match

The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), a form of non-invasive manual treatment, for a faster recovery of cardiovascular parameters after a rugby union match in professional male athletes. To this end, the effects of OMT on resting cardiovascular function and cardiovascular reactivity were evaluated in twenty-three male players 18-20 hours after a match and compared with a corresponding no-match (control) condition. Assessment of resting cardiovascular parameters 18-20 hours after a match revealed the presence of elevated mean arterial pressure and heart rate, and reduced vagally-mediated heart rate variability compared with a no-match condition. OMT provoked a significant reduction in mean arterial pressure and increased vagally-mediated heart rate variability at rest both in the after match and control conditions. Moreover, OMT favoured a larger vagal withdrawal in response to an orthostatic stress compared with a sham treatment. These results suggest that OMT may be implemented as a recovery strategy to restore athletes' cardiovascular homeostasis after a rugby union match.

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Key information

Conditions

Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Collegio Italiano di Osteopatia

Parma, Italy

About this study

The presence of cardiovascular autonomic alterations in the aftermath of an intense exercise performed during a competitive match may indicate incomplete recovery and prolonged fatigue.Therefore, the implementation of effective interventions aimed at favoring a faster recovery of athletes' cardiovascular homeostasis in the aftermath of a competitive match may be beneficial for greater adaptations to subsequent training and enhanced overall performance. In this regard, osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a form of non-invasive manual treatment that uses a set of touch, manipulation and mobilization procedures to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness or injury. In the present study, the investigators sought to explore the efficacy of a single session of OMT in restoring alterations in cardiovascular parameters at rest and in response to an orthostatic challenge in trained adult male athletes long after (18-20 hours) a rugby union match.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • being healthy and injury-free
  • age ≥ 18 years old
  • being Caucasian
  • regular participation in competitive matches of rugby union consisting of 2, 40-min halves
  • regular training for an average of six hours/week during the last four weeks

Exclusion criteria

  • history of cardiovascular disease or traumatic brain injury
  • chronic drug treatment
  • use of any medications during the last week
  • having received osteopathic manipulative treatment before

Treatment and study plan

Osteopathic manipulative treatment

Other

Each osteopathic manipulative treatment consisted of a structured evaluation to diagnose somatic dysfunction of the pelvis, abdomen, vertebral spine, and upper and lower limbs (10 min), followed by the therapeutic application of manually guided forces to improve physiological function and homeostasis that has been altered by somatic dysfunction for 20 min, using techniques that were left at the discretion of the osteopath, including the myofascial release and cranial sacrum techniques

Sham Treatment

Other

The sham treatment consisted only in "soft touch" of the same body areas involved in the osteopathic manipulative treatment protocol without applying any pressure

Primary outcomes

  1. Resting heart rate

    Time frame: ECG recorded for 10 min just before osteopathic manipulative treatment and sham treatment

    Mean heart rate measured as beats per minute

  2. Resting heart rate

    Time frame: ECG recorded for 5 min just after osteopathic manipulative treatment and sham treatment

    Mean heart rate measured as beats per minute

  3. Resting heart rate variability (RMSSD index)

    Time frame: ECG recorded for 10 min just before osteopathic manipulative treatment and sham treatment

    Root mean square of the successive differences between adjacent heart beats (RMSSD) measured in ms

  4. Resting heart rate variability (RMSSD index)

    Time frame: ECG recorded for 5 min just after osteopathic manipulative treatment and sham treatment

    Root mean square of the successive differences between adjacent heart beats (RMSSD) measured in ms

  5. Resting heart rate variability (HF index)

    Time frame: ECG recorded for 10 min just before osteopathic manipulative treatment and sham treatment

    High frequency (HF) component power of the RR interval spectrum measured in ms2

  6. Resting heart rate variability (HF index)

    Time frame: ECG recorded for 5 min just after osteopathic manipulative treatment and sham treatment

    High frequency (HF) component power of the RR interval spectrum measured in ms2

  7. Resting mean arterial pressure

    Time frame: Assessed just before osteopathic manipulative treatment and sham treatment with a sphygmomanometer

    Mean arterial pressure measured in mmHg

  8. Resting mean arterial pressure

    Time frame: Assessed just after osteopathic manipulative treatment and sham treatment with a sphygmomanometer

    Mean arterial pressure measured in mmHg

Secondary outcomes

  1. Heart rate reactivity to orthostasis

    Time frame: ECG recorded for 10 min during orthostasis (5 min) and subsequent recovery (5 min)

    Mean heart rate measured as beats per minute

  2. Heart rate variability (RMSSD index) reactivity to orthostasis

    Time frame: ECG recorded for 10 min during orthostasis (5 min) and subsequent recovery (5 min)

    Root mean square of the successive differences between adjacent heart beats measured in ms

  3. Heart rate variability (HF index) reactivity to orthostasis

    Time frame: ECG recorded for 10 min during orthostasis (5 min) and subsequent recovery (5 min)

    High frequency component power of the RR interval spectrum measured in ms2

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Parma

Other

Collaborators

  • Collegio Italiano di Osteopatia
  • Foundation COME Collaboration

Registry information

Official study title

Osteopathy Treatment Restores Cardiovascular Autonomic Parameters in Rugby Players

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2018
First posted
Jan 27, 2020
Registry last updated
Jan 27, 2020

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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