Exercise-Induced FatigueNCT07336745
EMS Recovery Effects in Sport Climbing
A study testing Electrical Muscle Stimulation in people with Exercise-Induced Fatigue and Forearm Muscle Fatigue, run by Akdeniz University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Sport climbing often requires athletes to perform repeated climbing efforts with short rest periods. Over time, fatigue can build up in the muscles of the arms and forearms, which may reduce performance and increase the difficulty of continuing to climb at the same level. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older, men only
- Conditions the study is for
- Exercise-Induced Fatigue, Forearm Muscle Fatigue
- What is being tested?
- Electrical Muscle Stimulation
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 10 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 10 Jan 2020to 10 Jul 2021
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- Men only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Male climbers aged 30-36 years.
- At least 3 years of continuous climbing experience, training 3-4 times per week.
- Ability to climb at least IRCRA grade 15 (French 6a) routes.
- In good general health and able to safely perform high-intensity climbing.
- Willing to provide written informed consent and follow study instructions.
Who cannot join
- Participation in other sports with high training loads that could interfere with the study.
- Any injury, medical condition, or musculoskeletal problem that limits climbing performance.
- Use of medications or supplements that could affect muscle performance or recovery.
- Inability to comply with study procedures, including the climbing and recovery protocols.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Akdeniz University Faculty of Sport Sciences
Antalya, 07058
About this study
Official title: Recovery Effects of Electrical Muscle Stimulation After Climbing-Induced Fatigue: A Randomized Crossover Trial
Sport climbing often requires athletes to perform repeated climbing efforts with short rest periods. Over time, fatigue can build up in the muscles of the arms and forearms, which may reduce performance and increase the difficulty of continuing to climb at the same level.
This study aims to better understand different recovery methods that climbers may use between climbing efforts. Specifically, the study compares two recovery approaches: electrical muscle stimulation-based recovery and passive recovery (resting while seated).
Read more
In this study, adult male sport climbers will complete a structured climbing task designed to induce fatigue. After the climbing task, participants will receive one of the two recovery methods. On a separate study visit, they will complete the same procedure using the other recovery method. The order of the recovery methods will be randomized, and there will be a break of one week between sessions.
During the study sessions, researchers will record climbing-related performance measures, simple strength and endurance tasks, heart rate, and how hard the participants feel they are working. The information collected will help researchers better understand recovery strategies used in climbing and may inform training and recovery practices for athletes in the future.
Participation in the study is voluntary, and all procedures are conducted under controlled laboratory conditions.
Read the detailed description
Sport climbing places high and repetitive demands on the forearm muscles, which are required to sustain repeated gripping and pulling actions with limited recovery time. During prolonged or repeated climbing bouts, local muscular fatigue can accumulate, potentially affecting endurance and movement quality. Competitive climbers are particularly exposed to these demands, as competitions often involve multiple rounds performed within the same day with short rest intervals. For this reason, recovery strategies that can be applied between climbing efforts are of practical relevance in both training and competition settings.
Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is a recovery modality that delivers low-intensity electrical impulses to skeletal muscle, producing rhythmic, involuntary contractions. EMS has been used in various sport and rehabilitation contexts as a low-effort method that can be applied without additional mechanical load. However, its application as an inter-bout recovery strategy in sport climbing has not been sufficiently characterized under controlled, climbing-specific conditions.
This study is designed as a randomized crossover trial to compare EMS-based recovery (EMSr) and passive recovery (PASr) following a standardized climbing fatigue protocol. Advanced male sport climbers will participate in two experimental sessions separated by a one-week washout period. In each session, participants will complete the same climbing fatigue protocol, followed by one of the two recovery conditions, with the order of recovery methods randomized.
The fatigue protocol consists of repeated climbing bouts performed on a standardized training wall using a fixed route of defined difficulty. This protocol is intended to elicit localized forearm fatigue under reproducible conditions. Following completion of the fatigue protocol, participants will undergo either EMS applied to the forearm muscles for a fixed duration or passive recovery involving seated rest without additional intervention.
Climbing-related performance measures, muscular endurance tasks, cardiovascular responses, and ratings of perceived exertion will be recorded at predefined time points before and after the recovery period. These measurements are included to characterize physiological and performance-related responses associated with each recovery condition.
The crossover design allows each participant to serve as their own control, thereby reducing inter-individual variability and enabling a direct comparison of recovery approaches under standardized conditions.
- Conditions
- Exercise-Induced Fatigue, Forearm Muscle Fatigue
- Being tested
- Electrical Muscle Stimulation
- Keywords
- Sport climbing, Forearm fatigue, Electrical muscle stimulation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Electrical Muscle StimulationDevice
This intervention specifically targets the forearm flexor muscles (flexor carpi radialis, palmaris longus, flexor carpi ulnaris) using low-frequency electrical stimulation to promote local muscle recovery after climbing-induced fatigue. The protocol uses a 50-minute "Active Recovery" program (2-4-6-5-4-3-2-1 Hz) applied via a device, with intensity individually adjusted to elicit visible muscle contraction without discomfort. Unlike general active recovery or passive rest, this intervention provides localized neuromuscular stimulation designed to preserve climbing-specific performance metrics such as total move count and weighted isometric hang time.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| EMS Recovery (EMSr) Arm | Experimental | Participants completed a standardized climbing fatigue protocol consisting of 15 sets of 1-minute climbs followed by 1-minute rest on a TensionBoard route (IRCRA grade 15). Immediately after the fatigue protocol, participants underwent Electrical Muscle Stimulation-based Recovery (EMSr). EMS was applied to the forearm flexor muscles (flexor carpi radialis, palmaris longus, flexor carpi ulnaris) using a Chattanooga Wireless Professional 4CH device with 5×5 cm electrodes. The "Active Recovery" program (2-4-6-5-4-3-2-1 Hz; 50 minutes) was used. Stimulation intensity was individually adjusted to elicit visible muscle contraction without discomfort.The EMSr intervention was designed to facilitate local muscle recovery, maintain climbing-specific performance (total move count, isometric hang time), and reduce performance decrements compared to passive rest. Receives: Device: Electrical Muscle Stimulation |
| Passive Recovery (PASr) Arm | No intervention | Participants completed the same standardized climbing fatigue protocol (15 × 1-minute climbs with 1-minute rest on a TensionBoard route, IRCRA grade 15). Immediately after the fatigue protocol, participants underwent passive recovery (PASr), consisting of 50 minutes of seated rest. No active muscle stimulation or exercise was performed during this period. The PASr arm serves as a control condition to evaluate the effects of EMS-based recovery on climbing-specific performance metrics. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change from Baseline in Total Move Count During the TensionBoard Fatigue Test Following Recovery Intervention
Total move count represents the number of hand movements completed by each participant during the TensionBoard Fatigue Test, which consists of 15 sets of 1-minute climbs with 1-minute rests on a standardized route (IRCRA grade 15). This measure assesses climbing-specific performance and endurance, reflecting the ability to sustain high-intensity climbing efforts after the fatigue protocol. Move count is recorded for each set, and the change from baseline (pre-recovery) to post-recovery is used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention (EMS recovery vs. passive rest).
Measured: Immediately after the 50-minute recovery period following the fatigue protocol.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted13 Jan 2026
- Study start10 Jan 2020
- Primary completion10 Jan 2021
- Study completion10 Jul 2021
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Exercise-Induced FatigueStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Akdeniz UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 10 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Akdeniz University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07336745
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- TSA-2019-4786
- Status last verified
- Nov 2020
- First submitted
- 17 Dec 2025
- Last updated
- 13 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: De-identified individual participant data (IPD) from this study, including climbing performance metrics, recovery protocol details, and anthropometric measurements, will be made available to other researchers upon reasonable request. Requests should be submitted to the corresponding author (Tuba Melekoğlu, tmelekoglu@akdeniz.edu.tr) and will require a data use agreement outlining the purpose of analysis, protection of participant confidentiality, and acknowledgment of the original study. Data will be available for academic and non-commercial research purposes for 5 years following publication of the study results.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Recovery Effects of Electrical Muscle Stimulation After Climbing-Induced Fatigue: A Randomized Crossover Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07336745
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- TSA-2019-4786
- Conditions
- Exercise-Induced Fatigue, Forearm Muscle Fatigue
- Keywords
- Sport climbing, Forearm fatigue, Electrical muscle stimulation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 10 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Akdeniz UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 Jan 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 10 Jan 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 10 Jul 2021 (actual)
- First posted
- 13 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Sport climbing often requires athletes to perform repeated climbing efforts with short rest periods. Over time, fatigue can build up in the muscles of the arms and forearms, which may reduce performance and increase the difficulty of continuing to climb at the same level.
This study aims to better understand different recovery methods that climbers may use between climbing efforts. Specifically, the study compares two recovery approaches: electrical muscle stimulation-based recovery and passive recovery (resting while seated).
In this study, adult male sport climbers will complete a structured climbing task designed to induce fatigue. After the climbing task, participants will receive one of the two recovery methods. On a separate study visit, they will complete the same procedure using the other recovery method. The order of the recovery methods will be randomized, and there will be a break of one week between sessions.
During the study sessions, researchers will record climbing-related performance measures, simple strength and endurance tasks, heart rate, and how hard the participants feel they are working. The information collected will help researchers better understand recovery strategies used in climbing and may inform training and recovery practices for athletes in the future.
Participation in the study is voluntary, and all procedures are conducted under controlled laboratory conditions.
Detailed description
Sport climbing places high and repetitive demands on the forearm muscles, which are required to sustain repeated gripping and pulling actions with limited recovery time. During prolonged or repeated climbing bouts, local muscular fatigue can accumulate, potentially affecting endurance and movement quality. Competitive climbers are particularly exposed to these demands, as competitions often involve multiple rounds performed within the same day with short rest intervals. For this reason, recovery strategies that can be applied between climbing efforts are of practical relevance in both training and competition settings.
Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is a recovery modality that delivers low-intensity electrical impulses to skeletal muscle, producing rhythmic, involuntary contractions. EMS has been used in various sport and rehabilitation contexts as a low-effort method that can be applied without additional mechanical load. However, its application as an inter-bout recovery strategy in sport climbing has not been sufficiently characterized under controlled, climbing-specific conditions.
This study is designed as a randomized crossover trial to compare EMS-based recovery (EMSr) and passive recovery (PASr) following a standardized climbing fatigue protocol. Advanced male sport climbers will participate in two experimental sessions separated by a one-week washout period. In each session, participants will complete the same climbing fatigue protocol, followed by one of the two recovery conditions, with the order of recovery methods randomized.
The fatigue protocol consists of repeated climbing bouts performed on a standardized training wall using a fixed route of defined difficulty. This protocol is intended to elicit localized forearm fatigue under reproducible conditions. Following completion of the fatigue protocol, participants will undergo either EMS applied to the forearm muscles for a fixed duration or passive recovery involving seated rest without additional intervention.
Climbing-related performance measures, muscular endurance tasks, cardiovascular responses, and ratings of perceived exertion will be recorded at predefined time points before and after the recovery period. These measurements are included to characterize physiological and performance-related responses associated with each recovery condition.
The crossover design allows each participant to serve as their own control, thereby reducing inter-individual variability and enabling a direct comparison of recovery approaches under standardized conditions.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| EMS Recovery (EMSr) Arm | Experimental | Device: Electrical Muscle StimulationParticipants completed a standardized climbing fatigue protocol consisting of 15 sets of 1-minute climbs followed by 1-minute rest on a TensionBoard route (IRCRA grade 15). Immediately after the fatigue protocol, participants underwent Electrical Muscle Stimulation-based Recovery (EMSr). EMS was applied to the forearm flexor muscles (flexor carpi radialis, palmaris longus, flexor carpi ulnaris) using a Chattanooga Wireless Professional 4CH device with 5×5 cm electrodes. The "Active Recovery" program (2-4-6-5-4-3-2-1 Hz; 50 minutes) was used. Stimulation intensity was individually adjusted to elicit visible muscle contraction without discomfort.The EMSr intervention was designed to facilitate local muscle recovery, maintain climbing-specific performance (total move count, isometric hang time), and reduce performance decrements compared to passive rest. |
| Passive Recovery (PASr) Arm | No intervention | –Participants completed the same standardized climbing fatigue protocol (15 × 1-minute climbs with 1-minute rest on a TensionBoard route, IRCRA grade 15). Immediately after the fatigue protocol, participants underwent passive recovery (PASr), consisting of 50 minutes of seated rest. No active muscle stimulation or exercise was performed during this period. The PASr arm serves as a control condition to evaluate the effects of EMS-based recovery on climbing-specific performance metrics. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Male climbers aged 30-36 years.
- At least 3 years of continuous climbing experience, training 3-4 times per week.
- Ability to climb at least IRCRA grade 15 (French 6a) routes.
- In good general health and able to safely perform high-intensity climbing.
- Willing to provide written informed consent and follow study instructions.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Participation in other sports with high training loads that could interfere with the study.
- Any injury, medical condition, or musculoskeletal problem that limits climbing performance.
- Use of medications or supplements that could affect muscle performance or recovery.
- Inability to comply with study procedures, including the climbing and recovery protocols.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Muscle StimulationThis intervention specifically targets the forearm flexor muscles (flexor carpi radialis, palmaris longus, flexor carpi ulnaris) using low-frequency electrical stimulation to promote local muscle recovery after climbing-induced fatigue. The protocol uses a 50-minute "Active Recovery" program (2-4-6-5-4-3-2-1 Hz) applied via a device, with intensity individually adjusted to elicit visible muscle contraction without discomfort. Unlike general active recovery or passive rest, this intervention provides localized neuromuscular stimulation designed to preserve climbing-specific performance metrics such as total move count and weighted isometric hang time. | Device | EMS Recovery (EMSr) Arm |
Primary outcome
Change from Baseline in Total Move Count During the TensionBoard Fatigue Test Following Recovery Intervention
Time frame: Immediately after the 50-minute recovery period following the fatigue protocol.
Total move count represents the number of hand movements completed by each participant during the TensionBoard Fatigue Test, which consists of 15 sets of 1-minute climbs with 1-minute rests on a standardized route (IRCRA grade 15). This measure assesses climbing-specific performance and endurance, reflecting the ability to sustain high-intensity climbing efforts after the fatigue protocol. Move count is recorded for each set, and the change from baseline (pre-recovery) to post-recovery is used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention (EMS recovery vs. passive rest).
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Jan 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. De-identified individual participant data (IPD) from this study, including climbing performance metrics, recovery protocol details, and anthropometric measurements, will be made available to other researchers upon reasonable request. Requests should be submitted to the corresponding author (Tuba Melekoğlu, tmelekoglu@akdeniz.edu.tr) and will require a data use agreement outlining the purpose of analysis, protection of participant confidentiality, and acknowledgment of the original study. Data will be available for academic and non-commercial research purposes for 5 years following publication of the study results.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Electrical Muscle Stimulation in people with Exercise-Induced Fatigue and Forearm Muscle Fatigue, run by Akdeniz University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change from Baseline in Total Move Count During the TensionBoard Fatigue Test Following Recovery Intervention (time frame: Immediately after the 50-minute recovery period following the fatigue protocol.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Jan 2026.