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Muscle SorenessNCT07387276

"Recovery Techniques on Pain, Force and Muscle Oxygenation in Athletes: A Crossover Trial"

A study testing Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), Massage Gun and TECAR Therapy in people with Muscle Soreness and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, run by Sierra Varona SL.

Not yet recruiting

Opening soon. The study is approved but enrolment has not started yet. Sites may already take enquiries.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the impact of various passive post-exercise recovery techniques on professional athletes. The main questions it aims to answer are: Do passive recovery modalities significantly improve muscle oxygenation and tissue temperature immediately following high-intensity effort?… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 35 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
What is being tested?
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), Massage Gun and TECAR Therapy
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
20 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
1 Jun 2026to 16 Aug 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

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 to 35 years
  • Men only
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Professional or Semi-professional athletes (specifically basketball players or endurance athletes) with a minimum of 2 years of competitive experience.
  • Aged between 18 and 35 years.
  • Healthy individuals with no current musculoskeletal injuries in the lower limbs.
  • Regular training frequency of at least 4-5 sessions per week.
  • Signed informed consent to participate in the study and follow the 6-week crossover protocol.
  • Commitment to maintain similar nutritional and sleep habits throughout the duration of the study.

Who cannot join

  • Presence of any acute or chronic injury in the gastrocnemius or Achilles tendon in the last 6 months.
  • Contraindications for specific therapies:
  • For Shockwave Therapy: Blood clotting disorders or use of anticoagulants.
  • For TECAR/Diathermy: Metal implants in the lower limbs or pacemakers.
  • For Cupping: Acute skin infections or dermatological hypersensitivity.
  • Consumption of performance-enhancing drugs, anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs), or stimulants that could affect muscle oxygenation (SmO2) or pain perception.
  • Recent surgery in the lower extremities (within the last year).
  • Inability to complete the standardized fatigue protocol or attend all 6 intervention sessions.

Trial locations and contacts

No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

ALBERTO SANCHEZ SIERRA contact

608801238

alberto.sanchez@uclm.es

About this study

Official title: "Effects of Multiple Muscle Recovery Techniques on Pain, Force, Temperature, and Muscle Oxygenation in Professional Athletes: A Randomized Crossover Trial"

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the impact of various passive post-exercise recovery techniques on professional athletes. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Do passive recovery modalities significantly improve muscle oxygenation and tissue temperature immediately following high-intensity effort?

Read more

Which specific technique is most effective in reducing perceived pain, measured by the pressure pain threshold, and restoring muscle strength?

Researchers will compare six different therapeutic interventions-Transfer of Energy Capacitive and Resistive therapy, manual massage, intermittent negative pressure therapy, extracorporeal shockwave therapy, percussion therapy, and pneumatic pressotherapy-to determine which provides a superior immediate physiological and functional recovery effect.

Participants will:

Perform a high-intensity physical effort designed to induce peripheral fatigue.

Be randomly assigned to receive one of the six recovery protocols.

Undergo objective measurements immediately after the intervention, including near-infrared spectroscopy to assess muscle oxygen saturation, tissue thermography, algometry, and dynamometry.

Read the detailed description

This project is designed as a randomized, double-blind (outcome assessor and statistician), crossover clinical trial. The study aims to address the critical need for evidence-based recovery strategies in high-demand sports such as basketball, where muscle overload is a primary risk factor for injury.The investigation will focus on the immediate physiological and functional effects of six widely utilized physiotherapy modalities:Capacitive and Resistive Energy Transfer (TECAR) Therapy: Utilized to improve tissue perfusion and modulate inflammatory responses through deep endogenous thermotherapy.Percussive Massage Therapy: Applied via mechanical vibration to reduce muscular stiffness and enhance explosive force restoration.Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT): Evaluated for its capacity to enhance muscular microcirculation and accelerate immediate tissue metabolic activity.Intermittent Pneumatic Compression (Pressotherapy): Targeted at reducing perceived pain and the sensation of limb heaviness through mechanical fluid drainage.Intermittent Negative Pressure Therapy (Vacuum Therapy): Investigated for its role in localized blood flow enhancement and pain modulation.Manual Sports Massage: Defined as the traditional manual intervention for reducing perceived muscle soreness and improving soft tissue flexibility.Physiological monitoring will be conducted using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) to measure muscle oxygen saturation ($SmO_2$) and total hemoglobin, providing direct data on muscle oxidative metabolism. Functional outcomes will be assessed through pressure pain thresholds (PPT) via algometry and maximal isometric strength via dynamometry to determine the effectiveness of each technique in restoring neuromuscular homeostasis.The study will be conducted at the Sierra Varona Physiotherapy Clinic (Toledo, Spain) between February and March 2026..

Being tested
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), Massage Gun, TECAR Therapy, Manual Massage, cupping
Keywords
muscle recovery, SmO2, tecartherapy, shockwave therapy, massage
Medical subject headings
Myalgia, Athletic Injuries

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)Device

    Application of acoustic pulses to the gastrocnemius muscle to modulate tissue mechanotransduction and improve local microcirculation.

  • Massage GunDevice

    Mechanical vibration applied to the calf muscles to promote myofascial release and neuromuscular recovery through high-frequency percussion.

  • TECAR TherapyDevice

    Application of high-frequency electromagnetic energy (diathermy) to the lower limb to induce deep endogenous heat and accelerate metabolic waste removal.

  • Manual MassageOther

    Systematic manipulation of soft tissues using manual techniques (effleurage and petrissage) focused on reducing muscle tension and perceived soreness.

  • cuppingDevice

    Controlled suction therapy applied to the gastrocnemius to create space between fascial layers and stimulate lymphatic and venous drainage.

  • PressotherapyDevice

    External pneumatic compression through a sequential inflation system to facilitate venous return and reduce lower limb edema post-effort.

Study groups in NCT07387276
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)ExperimentalApplication of radial shockwave therapy using the Longest LGT-2500S device. A total of 2,000 pulses will be delivered to the gastrocnemius muscle (medial and lateral heads) at a pressure of 2.5 bar and a frequency of 10-15 Hz. The intervention aims to improve local microcirculation and reduce myofascial stiffness.
Receives: Device: Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)
Percussive Therapy - Massage GunExperimentalApplication of percussive massage using the Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro device. The intervention will last 5-10 minutes and will be applied to the gastrocnemius muscle at a frequency of 50 Hz (Level 3), focusing on the muscle-tendon junction to enhance neuromuscular recovery.
Receives: Device: Massage Gun
TECAR Therapy -ExperimentalApplication of diathermy using the Fisiowarm 300 system (Golden Star, Italy). The treatment will be administered for 15 minutes using a combination of capacitive and resistive modes at a frequency of 500 kHz. Intensity will be set at a thermal level (Type III) to promote deep vasodilation and metabolic clearance in the calf muscles.
Receives: Device: TECAR Therapy
Expert Manual Sports MassageExperimentalA standardized sports massage session lasting 15-20 minutes will be performed by a senior physiotherapist with more than 20 years of experience in elite sports. The protocol will include deep effleurage, petrissage, and transverse friction techniques to alleviate muscle tension and improve blood flow in the gastrocnemius muscle.
Receives: Other: Manual Massage
Intermittent Negative PressureExperimentalApplication of intermittent negative pressure using the Physium System (multimodal vacuum therapy). The protocol consists of a 10-minute session applied to the gastrocnemius area to decompress tissue layers, enhance lymphatic drainage, and modulate mechanoreceptors to reduce pain.
Receives: Device: cupping
PressotherapyExperimentalApplication of pressotherapy using the Hermes Professional system. The treatment will last 20 minutes with a sequential six-chamber inflation cycle at a pressure of 70-80 mmHg, aiming to accelerate venous return and reduce post-exercise edema.
Receives: Device: Pressotherapy

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Muscle Oxygen Saturation (SmO2)

    Measured using Moxy Monitor (Near-Infrared Spectroscopy - NIRS). It evaluates the percentage of hemoglobin/myoglobin oxygenated in the gastrocnemius muscle.

    Measured: immediately post-effort (fatigue), and immediately post-intervention (recovery).

  2. Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT)

    Measured using a digital pressure algometer. It quantifies the minimum pressure (in kg/cm²) at which a participant perceives the stimulus as painful in the gastrocnemius.

    Measured: immediately post-effort (fatigue), and immediately post-intervention (recovery).

  3. Maximum Isometric Muscle Strength

    Measured using a handheld dynamometer. It evaluates the peak force (in Newtons) during a maximum voluntary isometric contraction of the calf muscles.

    Measured: immediately post-effort (fatigue), and immediately post-intervention (recovery).

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Muscle Surface Temperature

    Measured using a digital infrared thermography camera. It assesses the changes in skin surface temperature over the gastrocnemius muscle area, reflecting changes in local blood flow.

    Measured: immediately post-effort (fatigue), and immediately post-intervention (recovery).

  2. Participant Satisfaction and Perceived Recovery

    Measured using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and a customized survey (Likert scale 1-5). Participants rate which recovery modality felt better and their perceived level of muscle readiness for a new effort.

    Measured: 5 minutes after each recovery intervention.

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted4 Feb 2026
  2. Study start1 Jun 2026 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion15 Jun 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completion16 Aug 2026 (estimated)

Resources

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
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Model description
This is a randomized, 6-period, 6-sequence crossover clinical trial. Each participant will undergo six different recovery interventions-extracorporeal shockwave therapy, percussive massage therapy, manual sports massage, capacitive and resistive energy transfer therapy, intermittent negative pressure therapy, and pneumatic pressotherapy-in a randomized sequence. To prevent carry-over effects, a minimum wash-out period of one week will be established between intervention sessions. Prior to each recovery modality, all participants will perform a standardized high-intensity exercise protocol designed to induce peripheral muscle fatigue. Physiological and functional measurements, including near-infrared spectroscopy, infrared thermography, pressure algometry, and isokinetic dynamometry, will be recorded at baseline and immediately following the intervention in each period to assess acute recovery effects.
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
20 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07387276
Sponsor's protocol ID
22
Status last verified
Apr 2026
First submitted
27 Jan 2026
Last updated
24 Apr 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 (including muscle oxygenation variables, pressure pain thresholds, and isometric strength values) will be made available upon reasonable request to the principal investigator. Data will be shared to facilitate meta-analyses or to verify the findings of this study, provided that the requesting researcher provides a methodologically sound proposal and signs a data use agreement to ensure athlete confidentiality."

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), Massage Gun and TECAR Therapy in people with Muscle Soreness and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, run by Sierra Varona SL.

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 6 inclusion and 8 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

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?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact ALBERTO SANCHEZ SIERRA (608801238, alberto.sanchez@uclm.es), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Muscle Oxygen Saturation (SmO2) (time frame: immediately post-effort (fatigue), and immediately post-intervention (recovery).). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. 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 24 Apr 2026.

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