Health Adult SubjectsNCT07745452
Acute Changes in Gastrocnemius Muscle Stiffness
A study testing 30-Second Work / 30-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol, 15-Second Work / 45-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol and 45-Second Work / 15-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol in people with Health Adult Subjects and Exercise-Induced Changes in Gastrocnemius Muscle Stiffness, run by Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
This study evaluated how different exercise and rest schedules during calf-raise exercise affected the stiffness of the calf muscle in trained volleyball athletes. It also examined how muscle stiffness changed during a five-minute recovery period in which percussive therapy was applied. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Health Adult Subjects, Exercise-Induced Changes in Gastrocnemius Muscle Stiffness
- What is being tested?
- 30-Second Work / 30-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol, 15-Second Work / 45-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol and 45-Second Work / 15-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 24 Jun 2025to 24 Mar 2026
- 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 to 30 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Male or female volleyball athlete aged 18 to 30 years.
- Competing at university or club level.
- At least 3 years of structured volleyball training experience.
- Participating in volleyball training at least 3 times per week.
- Body mass index between 18.5 and 27.0 kg/m².
- No lower-limb musculoskeletal injury during the previous 6 months.
- No known neuromuscular or systemic disorder.
- No use of anti-inflammatory, analgesic, or muscle-relaxant medication during the week before testing.
Who cannot join
- Failure to attend or complete any of the three experimental sessions.
- Performance of vigorous exercise within 24 hours before a testing session.
- Occurrence of an adverse event that prevented adherence to or completion of the study protocol.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Acute Changes in Gastrocnemius Muscle Stiffness Following Different Work-Rest Calf-Raise Protocols and Percussive Therapy: A Randomized Crossover Experimental Study
This study evaluated how different exercise and rest schedules during calf-raise exercise affected the stiffness of the calf muscle in trained volleyball athletes. It also examined how muscle stiffness changed during a five-minute recovery period in which percussive therapy was applied.
Thirty volleyball athletes, including 15 women and 15 men, completed three exercise sessions in a randomized order. During each session, participants performed repeated calf raises for a total period of five minutes using one of three work-to-rest schedules: 30 seconds of exercise followed by 30 seconds of rest, 15 seconds of exercise followed by 45 seconds of rest, or 45 seconds of exercise followed by 15 seconds of rest.
The stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius, one of the main calf muscles, was measured using shear-wave elastography. Measurements were taken before exercise, immediately after exercise, and after the five-minute percussive therapy recovery period.
Read the detailed description
This randomized, three-period crossover study examined the acute effects of different work-to-rest configurations during a standardized bilateral calf-raise exercise on medial gastrocnemius stiffness in trained volleyball athletes.
Thirty participants, comprising 15 women and 15 men, completed three experimental sessions in a computer-generated randomized order. Sessions were separated by at least 48 hours and were conducted at approximately the same time of day for each participant to reduce the effects of fatigue, carryover, and daily variation. Before data collection, participants completed a familiarization session.
Each experimental session lasted five minutes and included one of the following work-to-rest configurations:
30 seconds of calf raises followed by 30 seconds of rest; 15 seconds of calf raises followed by 45 seconds of rest; or 45 seconds of calf raises followed by 15 seconds of rest.
The exercise cadence was standardized at one repetition per second using a metronome. Participants performed the calf raises barefoot, with their feet approximately shoulder-width apart and their hands placed on their hips. The total session duration was the same for all conditions, while the amount and distribution of exercise and rest differed between protocols.
Medial gastrocnemius stiffness was assessed bilaterally using shear-wave elastography. Measurements were obtained before exercise, immediately after completion of the calf-raise protocol, and after a standardized five-minute recovery period involving percussive therapy. Three elastography acquisitions were recorded for each leg at each assessment and were averaged for analysis.
Percussive therapy was applied to both medial gastrocnemius muscles using a Theragun PRO device with a spherical attachment at approximately 1,750 percussions per minute. Each leg received two 60-second applications separated by 30 seconds of rest. The same experienced researcher administered the intervention and performed the measurements during all sessions.
The primary analysis evaluated changes in shear-wave velocity across the three measurement times and compared those changes among the three exercise protocols. Limb side and participant sex were also examined as exploratory factors.
The primary hypothesis was that the protocol containing 45 seconds of exercise and 15 seconds of rest would produce the greatest immediate increase in gastrocnemius stiffness because it had the highest work density. A secondary objective was to examine whether stiffness decreased toward baseline during the subsequent percussive therapy recovery period.
No sham percussive therapy or passive recovery condition was included. Therefore, changes between the immediate post-exercise and final assessments were interpreted as recovery occurring during the percussive therapy period and not as definitive evidence of an isolated treatment effect
- Being tested
- 30-Second Work / 30-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol, 15-Second Work / 45-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol, 45-Second Work / 15-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol
- Keywords
- Medial gastrocnemius, Muscle stiffness, Calf-raise exercise, Work-to-rest ratio, Work density
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
30-Second Work / 30-Second Rest Calf-Raise ProtocolBehavioural
Participants performed bilateral standing calf raises for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of rest. The work-rest cycle was repeated over a total protocol duration of 5 minutes. Calf raises were performed barefoot at a standardized cadence of one repetition per second using a metronome, with the feet shoulder-width apart and the hands positioned on the hips.
15-Second Work / 45-Second Rest Calf-Raise ProtocolBehavioural
Participants performed bilateral standing calf raises for 15 seconds, followed by 45 seconds of rest. The work-rest cycle was repeated over a total protocol duration of 5 minutes. Calf raises were performed barefoot at a standardized cadence of one repetition per second using a metronome, with the feet shoulder-width apart and the hands positioned on the hips.
45-Second Work / 15-Second Rest Calf-Raise ProtocolBehavioural
Participants performed bilateral standing calf raises for 45 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of rest. The work-rest cycle was repeated over a total protocol duration of 5 minutes. Calf raises were performed barefoot at a standardized cadence of one repetition per second using a metronome, with the feet shoulder-width apart and the hands positioned on the hips.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Second Work / 30-Second Rest Protocol | Experimental | Participants performed bilateral calf raises for 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds of rest, repeated over a total protocol duration of 5 minutes. Calf raises were performed at one repetition per second. Gastrocnemius shear-wave elastography measurements were obtained before exercise, immediately after exercise, and after the standardized 5-minute percussive therapy recovery period. Receives: Behavioral: 30-Second Work / 30-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol |
| 15-Second Work / 45-Second Rest Protocol | Experimental | Participants performed bilateral calf raises for 15 seconds followed by 45 seconds of rest, repeated over a total protocol duration of 5 minutes. Calf raises were performed at one repetition per second. Gastrocnemius shear-wave elastography measurements were obtained before exercise, immediately after exercise, and after the standardized 5-minute percussive therapy recovery period. Receives: Behavioral: 15-Second Work / 45-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol |
| 45-Second Work / 15-Second Rest Protocol | Experimental | Participants performed bilateral calf raises for 45 seconds followed by 15 seconds of rest, repeated over a total protocol duration of 5 minutes. Calf raises were performed at one repetition per second. Gastrocnemius shear-wave elastography measurements were obtained before exercise, immediately after exercise, and after the standardized 5-minute percussive therapy recovery period. Receives: Behavioral: 45-Second Work / 15-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Mean Change in Medial Gastrocnemius Shear-Wave Velocity
Medial gastrocnemius stiffness was assessed bilaterally using shear-wave elastography and reported as shear-wave velocity in meters per second (m/s), with higher values indicating greater stiffness. Three acquisitions were obtained for each leg at each time point and averaged. Mean changes were evaluated within each work-to-rest protocol from baseline to immediately after exercise, from immediately after exercise to after the percussive therapy recovery period, and from baseline to after recovery.
Measured: Baseline, immediately after each 5-minute calf-raise protocol, and after the subsequent 5-minute percussive therapy recovery period, during each of 3 sessions separated by at least 48 hours.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Aug 2026
- Study start24 Jun 2025
- Primary completion24 Feb 2026
- Study completion24 Mar 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Health Adult SubjectsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Monira Aldhahi, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07745452
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- PNU-14
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 30 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 4 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Acute Changes in Gastrocnemius Muscle Stiffness Following Different Work-Rest Calf-Raise Protocols and Percussive Therapy: A Randomized Crossover Experimental Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07745452
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PNU-14
- Keywords
- Medial gastrocnemius, Muscle stiffness, Calf-raise exercise, Work-to-rest ratio, Work density
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 24 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 24 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 24 Mar 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 4 Aug 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.
This study evaluated how different exercise and rest schedules during calf-raise exercise affected the stiffness of the calf muscle in trained volleyball athletes. It also examined how muscle stiffness changed during a five-minute recovery period in which percussive therapy was applied.
Thirty volleyball athletes, including 15 women and 15 men, completed three exercise sessions in a randomized order. During each session, participants performed repeated calf raises for a total period of five minutes using one of three work-to-rest schedules: 30 seconds of exercise followed by 30 seconds of rest, 15 seconds of exercise followed by 45 seconds of rest, or 45 seconds of exercise followed by 15 seconds of rest.
The stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius, one of the main calf muscles, was measured using shear-wave elastography. Measurements were taken before exercise, immediately after exercise, and after the five-minute percussive therapy recovery period.
Detailed description
This randomized, three-period crossover study examined the acute effects of different work-to-rest configurations during a standardized bilateral calf-raise exercise on medial gastrocnemius stiffness in trained volleyball athletes.
Thirty participants, comprising 15 women and 15 men, completed three experimental sessions in a computer-generated randomized order. Sessions were separated by at least 48 hours and were conducted at approximately the same time of day for each participant to reduce the effects of fatigue, carryover, and daily variation. Before data collection, participants completed a familiarization session.
Each experimental session lasted five minutes and included one of the following work-to-rest configurations:
30 seconds of calf raises followed by 30 seconds of rest; 15 seconds of calf raises followed by 45 seconds of rest; or 45 seconds of calf raises followed by 15 seconds of rest.
The exercise cadence was standardized at one repetition per second using a metronome. Participants performed the calf raises barefoot, with their feet approximately shoulder-width apart and their hands placed on their hips. The total session duration was the same for all conditions, while the amount and distribution of exercise and rest differed between protocols.
Medial gastrocnemius stiffness was assessed bilaterally using shear-wave elastography. Measurements were obtained before exercise, immediately after completion of the calf-raise protocol, and after a standardized five-minute recovery period involving percussive therapy. Three elastography acquisitions were recorded for each leg at each assessment and were averaged for analysis.
Percussive therapy was applied to both medial gastrocnemius muscles using a Theragun PRO device with a spherical attachment at approximately 1,750 percussions per minute. Each leg received two 60-second applications separated by 30 seconds of rest. The same experienced researcher administered the intervention and performed the measurements during all sessions.
The primary analysis evaluated changes in shear-wave velocity across the three measurement times and compared those changes among the three exercise protocols. Limb side and participant sex were also examined as exploratory factors.
The primary hypothesis was that the protocol containing 45 seconds of exercise and 15 seconds of rest would produce the greatest immediate increase in gastrocnemius stiffness because it had the highest work density. A secondary objective was to examine whether stiffness decreased toward baseline during the subsequent percussive therapy recovery period.
No sham percussive therapy or passive recovery condition was included. Therefore, changes between the immediate post-exercise and final assessments were interpreted as recovery occurring during the percussive therapy period and not as definitive evidence of an isolated treatment effect
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind (investigator)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Second Work / 30-Second Rest Protocol | Experimental | Behavioral: 30-Second Work / 30-Second Rest Calf-Raise ProtocolParticipants performed bilateral calf raises for 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds of rest, repeated over a total protocol duration of 5 minutes. Calf raises were performed at one repetition per second. Gastrocnemius shear-wave elastography measurements were obtained before exercise, immediately after exercise, and after the standardized 5-minute percussive therapy recovery period. |
| 15-Second Work / 45-Second Rest Protocol | Experimental | Behavioral: 15-Second Work / 45-Second Rest Calf-Raise ProtocolParticipants performed bilateral calf raises for 15 seconds followed by 45 seconds of rest, repeated over a total protocol duration of 5 minutes. Calf raises were performed at one repetition per second. Gastrocnemius shear-wave elastography measurements were obtained before exercise, immediately after exercise, and after the standardized 5-minute percussive therapy recovery period. |
| 45-Second Work / 15-Second Rest Protocol | Experimental | Behavioral: 45-Second Work / 15-Second Rest Calf-Raise ProtocolParticipants performed bilateral calf raises for 45 seconds followed by 15 seconds of rest, repeated over a total protocol duration of 5 minutes. Calf raises were performed at one repetition per second. Gastrocnemius shear-wave elastography measurements were obtained before exercise, immediately after exercise, and after the standardized 5-minute percussive therapy recovery period. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Male or female volleyball athlete aged 18 to 30 years.
- Competing at university or club level.
- At least 3 years of structured volleyball training experience.
- Participating in volleyball training at least 3 times per week.
- Body mass index between 18.5 and 27.0 kg/m².
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Failure to attend or complete any of the three experimental sessions.
- Performance of vigorous exercise within 24 hours before a testing session.
- Occurrence of an adverse event that prevented adherence to or completion of the study protocol.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Second Work / 30-Second Rest Calf-Raise ProtocolParticipants performed bilateral standing calf raises for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of rest. The work-rest cycle was repeated over a total protocol duration of 5 minutes. Calf raises were performed barefoot at a standardized cadence of one repetition per second using a metronome, with the feet shoulder-width apart and the hands positioned on the hips. | Behavioural | 30-Second Work / 30-Second Rest Protocol |
| 15-Second Work / 45-Second Rest Calf-Raise ProtocolParticipants performed bilateral standing calf raises for 15 seconds, followed by 45 seconds of rest. The work-rest cycle was repeated over a total protocol duration of 5 minutes. Calf raises were performed barefoot at a standardized cadence of one repetition per second using a metronome, with the feet shoulder-width apart and the hands positioned on the hips. | Behavioural | 15-Second Work / 45-Second Rest Protocol |
| 45-Second Work / 15-Second Rest Calf-Raise ProtocolParticipants performed bilateral standing calf raises for 45 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of rest. The work-rest cycle was repeated over a total protocol duration of 5 minutes. Calf raises were performed barefoot at a standardized cadence of one repetition per second using a metronome, with the feet shoulder-width apart and the hands positioned on the hips. | Behavioural | 45-Second Work / 15-Second Rest Protocol |
Primary outcome
Mean Change in Medial Gastrocnemius Shear-Wave Velocity
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after each 5-minute calf-raise protocol, and after the subsequent 5-minute percussive therapy recovery period, during each of 3 sessions separated by at least 48 hours.
Medial gastrocnemius stiffness was assessed bilaterally using shear-wave elastography and reported as shear-wave velocity in meters per second (m/s), with higher values indicating greater stiffness. Three acquisitions were obtained for each leg at each time point and averaged. Mean changes were evaluated within each work-to-rest protocol from baseline to immediately after exercise, from immediately after exercise to after the percussive therapy recovery period, and from baseline to after recovery.
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 4 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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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 30-Second Work / 30-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol, 15-Second Work / 45-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol and 45-Second Work / 15-Second Rest Calf-Raise Protocol in people with Health Adult Subjects and Exercise-Induced Changes in Gastrocnemius Muscle Stiffness, run by Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman 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 8 inclusion and 3 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 4 Aug 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?
Mean Change in Medial Gastrocnemius Shear-Wave Velocity (time frame: Baseline, immediately after each 5-minute calf-raise protocol, and after the subsequent 5-minute percussive therapy recovery period, during each of 3 sessions separated by at least 48 hours.). 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 4 Aug 2026.