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Muscle FatigueNCT07547566

Recovery After Fatigue in Young Athletes: Comparison Between TECAR Therapy and Cycle Ergometer"

A study testing Tecar therapy (capacitive mode) and Active recovery using cycle ergometer in people with Muscle Fatigue and Healthy Adult, run by Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba at 1 site in Spain.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare two recovery methods after fatigue in young athletes. It aims to find out if tecar therapy (TECAR) or cycle ergometer exercise can improve recovery after intense physical activity and help athletes return to their normal performance more quickly. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Muscle Fatigue, Healthy Adult
What is being tested?
Tecar therapy (capacitive mode) and Active recovery using cycle ergometer
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
48 participants
Where
1 siteSpain
Study dates
27 Apr 2026to Feb 2027
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 years and older
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Adults aged 18 years or older
  • Engaging in regular physical activity
  • Experience with sports involving jumping or plyometric exercises

Who cannot join

  • Performed intense physical exercise within 24 hours before the study
  • Planned to perform intense physical exercise within 24 hours after the study
  • Presence of muscle soreness at the beginning of the study
  • Musculoskeletal injury in the previous 6 months

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Sandra Alcaraz Clariana, PhD PT contact

+34625434043

m72alcls@uco.es

Lourdes García Luque, PhD PT contact

+34627366324

z12galul@uco.es

Spain1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Physiobalance

    Córdoba, Córdoba, 14011

    Sandra Alcaraz Clariana, PhD PT, +34625434043, m72alcls@uco.es

    Lourdes García Luque, PhD PT, +34627366324, z12galul@uco.es

    Recruiting

Other trials in Spain

About this study

Official title: Immediate and Short-term Effects of TECAR Therapy and Cycle Ergometer on Recovery After Fatigue in Young Athletes: a Randomized Controlled Trial

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare two recovery methods after fatigue in young athletes. It aims to find out if tecar therapy (TECAR) or cycle ergometer exercise can improve recovery after intense physical activity and help athletes return to their normal performance more quickly.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Read more

Does TECAR or cycle ergometer improve physical performance after fatigue?

Do these methods reduce muscle pain and soreness after fatigue?

Researchers will compare TECAR with active recovery using a cycle ergometer to see which method is more effective.

Participants will:

Perform a series of jumps to induce fatigue

Be randomly assigned to one of the recovery methods

Complete physical tests before and after fatigue

Undergo simple measurements of muscle condition and pain

Report their level of effort and muscle soreness

Read the detailed description

This study is a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two recovery strategies following exercise-induced fatigue in young athletes: tecar therapy (TECAR) and active recovery (usual care) using a cycle ergometer.

Exercise-induced fatigue can reduce physical performance and increase muscle soreness, which may negatively affect athletic performance and increase injury risk. This study aims to compare the effects of two commonly used recovery strategies on physical performance, muscle mechanical properties, and perceived recovery.

Participants will be physically active young athletes over 18 years of age, familiar with plyometric or jump-based activities. They will be recruited through convenience sampling. Individuals with recent musculoskeletal injuries or those who have performed intense physical exercise within 24 hours prior to testing will be excluded.

All procedures will be conducted in a controlled environment by trained personnel following a standardized protocol. After providing informed consent, participants will undergo baseline assessments, including physical performance tests, measurements of muscle mechanical properties, and subjective perception of effort and muscle soreness.

A standardized warm-up will be performed prior to testing, consisting of low-intensity aerobic activity for approximately five minutes, aiming to reach a moderate level of perceived exertion.

Participants will then complete a fatigue protocol consisting of repeated drop jumps from a fixed height of approximately 0.6 meters. The protocol will be organized into multiple sets with controlled rest intervals between repetitions and sets in order to induce acute neuromuscular fatigue in a standardized manner.

Immediately after the fatigue protocol, the same assessments will be repeated to evaluate the acute effects of fatigue.

Participants will then be randomly assigned to one of the two recovery interventions:

TECAR: application of capacitive and resistive electric transfer using radiofrequency energy for 20 minutes

Active recovery (usual care): continuous cycling on a cycle ergometer at low-to-moderate intensity for 20 minutes, reflecting standard recovery practices commonly used in athletic settings

Following the assigned recovery intervention, all assessments will be repeated to evaluate recovery effects.

In addition, subjective measures of muscle soreness and perceived effort will be collected at 12 and 24 hours after the intervention to assess short-term recovery.

Outcome measures will include objective indicators of physical performance and muscle mechanical properties, assessed using a handheld myotonometer, as well as pressure pain threshold (a measure of sensitivity to pressure), and subjective measures related to perceived effort and muscle soreness.

Statistical analysis will include descriptive statistics and inferential analysis to compare differences between groups and over time. A two-way analysis of variance (group × time) will be used to evaluate the effects of the recovery intervention and measurement time points, including potential interaction effects. Statistical significance will be set at p < 0.05.

This study aims to provide evidence on the comparative effectiveness of TECAR and active recovery strategies, contributing to the optimization of recovery protocols in athletic populations.

Being tested
Tecar therapy (capacitive mode), Active recovery using cycle ergometer
Keywords
Muscle Strength, Muscle Fatigue, Athletes, Recovery of Function, Countermovement jump, Pressure pain threshold, Muscle soreness, Muscle mechanical properties, Diathermy
Medical subject headings
Myalgia, Fever

What participants receive

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

  • Tecar therapy (capacitive mode)Device

    Also called Capacitive and resistive electric transfer therapy. Radiofrequency therapy

    TECAR is applied using capacitive radiofrequency energy for 20 minutes following a standardized fatigue protocol. The intervention is delivered using capacitive mode only, combining manual mobile application and fixed automatic application over the quadriceps region to promote recovery after exercise-induced fatigue.

  • Active recovery using cycle ergometerBehavioural

    Also called Low-intensity cycling exercise

    Active recovery consists of continuous cycling on a cycle ergometer for 20 minutes at low intensity, not exceeding 2-3 on a 0-10 rating of perceived exertion scale. This intervention is performed after a standardized fatigue protocol and reflects common recovery practices in athletic settings.

Study groups in NCT07547566
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
TECARExperimentalParticipants assigned to this group will receive tecar therapy (TECAR) for 20 minutes. TECAR will be applied using the capacitive mode only, combining manual mobile application and fixed automatic application. The intervention will be applied after a standardized fatigue protocol consisting of repeated drop jumps, which is identical for all participants.
Receives: Device: Tecar therapy (capacitive mode)
Active recovery (usual care)Active comparatorParticipants assigned to this group will perform active recovery (usual care) consisting of continuous cycling on a cycle ergometer for 20 minutes at low intensity, not exceeding 2-3 on a 0-10 rating of perceived exertion scale. The intervention will be applied after a standardized fatigue protocol consisting of repeated drop jumps, which is identical for all participants. This intervention reflects standard recovery practices commonly used in athletic settings.
Receives: Behavioral: Active recovery using cycle ergometer

What is being measured

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

  1. Countermovement jump height

    Vertical jump performance will be assessed using a countermovement jump test. Jump height will be measured using a validated mobile application after three attempts, and the mean value will be recorded.

    Measured: Baseline (after warm-up), immediately after fatigue protocol, and immediately after intervention (20 minutes).

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. Muscle mechanical properties

    Muscle mechanical properties will be assessed using a handheld myotonometer. Parameters will include muscle tone and stiffness measured at standardized anatomical locations of the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, medial gastrocnemius, and lateral gastrocnemius.

    Measured: Baseline (after warm-up), immediately after fatigue protocol, and immediately after intervention (20 minutes).

  2. Pressure pain threshold

    Pressure pain threshold will be assessed using a handheld algometer. Measurements will be performed at standardized anatomical locations of the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and medial gastrocnemius, and the mean of repeated measurements will be recorded.

    Measured: Baseline (after warm-up), immediately after fatigue protocol, and immediately after intervention (20 minutes).

  3. Rating of perceived exertion

    Perceived exertion will be assessed using a 0-10 rating scale, where higher values indicate greater perceived effort.

    Measured: Baseline (after warm-up), immediately after fatigue protocol, immediately after intervention (20 minutes), 12 hours, and 24 hours.

  4. Delayed-onset muscle soreness.

    Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) will be assessed using a 0-10 numeric rating scale, where 0 indicates no muscle soreness and 10 indicates the worst possible muscle soreness.

    Measured: Baseline (after warm-up), 12 hours, and 24 hours.

Timeline

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

  1. First posted23 Apr 2026
  2. Study start27 Apr 2026
  3. Primary completionDec 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completionFeb 2027 (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
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two parallel groups: TECAR therapy or active recovery (usual care). The study follows a pre-post design with repeated measurements, including baseline assessment, post-fatigue assessment, and post-intervention assessment. Additional follow-up measurements of perceived effort and muscle soreness will be collected at 12 and 24 hours after the intervention.
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
48 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07547566
Sponsor's protocol ID
MGC24
Status last verified
Mar 2026
First submitted
26 Mar 2026
Last updated
5 Nov 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Lettner J, Graventein L, Hakam HT, Ramadanov N, Becker R, Prill R. Assessment of Muscle Stiffness Using the MyotonPro: Effects of Fatigue on Vastus Lateralis and Medialis Muscles. J Pers Med. 2024 Mar 12;14(3):301. doi: 10.3390/jpm14030301.

    PubMed 38541043
  • Nakamura M, Sato S, Kiyono R, Yahata K, Yoshida R, Kasahara K, Konrad A. The Effect of Capacitive and Resistive Electric Transfer Intervention on Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness Induced by Eccentric Exercise. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 8;19(9):5723. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19095723.

    PubMed 35565117
  • Dupuy O, Douzi W, Theurot D, Bosquet L, Dugue B. An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Front Physiol. 2018 Apr 26;9:403. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00403. eCollection 2018.

    PubMed 29755363

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Tecar therapy (capacitive mode) and Active recovery using cycle ergometer in people with Muscle Fatigue and Healthy Adult, run by Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba at 1 site in Spain.

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 3 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Nov 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 Spain. 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?

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 Sandra Alcaraz Clariana, PhD PT (+34625434043, m72alcls@uco.es), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Countermovement jump height (time frame: Baseline (after warm-up), immediately after fatigue protocol, and immediately after intervention (20 minutes).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07547566, which also lists 3 linked publications.

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 5 Nov 2026.

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