Post-Exercise Cardiac Autonomic RecoveryNCT07915635
Effects of Classical and Device-Assisted Massage on Heart Rate Variability After Acute Exercise
A study testing Standardized Step Exercise, Classical Massage and Device-Assisted Massage in people with Post-Exercise Cardiac Autonomic Recovery and Heart Rate Variability (HRV), run by Nigde Omer Halisdemir University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
This randomized controlled study evaluated the effects of classical massage and device-assisted massage on heart rate variability (HRV) during early recovery following acute exercise in insufficiently active young men. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Post-Exercise Cardiac Autonomic Recovery, Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
- What is being tested?
- Standardized Step Exercise, Classical Massage and Device-Assisted Massage
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 36 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 1 May 2025to 1 Aug 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 35 years
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Male participants aged 18-35 years. Healthy volunteers. Insufficiently active according to the World Health Organization 2020 physical activity guidelines, defined as not meeting the recommended minimum level of physical activity.
- Willing to participate in the study and able to complete the exercise protocol.
Who cannot join
- Upper respiratory tract infection within the previous two weeks. Neurological, orthopedic, or systemic disease. Regular corticosteroid use. History of lower-extremity surgery. Pain or a musculoskeletal condition that could interfere with completion of the exercise protocol.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Faculty of Medicine, Physiology Laboratory
Niğde
About this study
Official title: Effects of Classical and Device-Assisted Massage on Heart Rate Variability After Acute Step Exercise in Insufficiently Active Men
This randomized controlled study evaluated the effects of classical massage and device-assisted massage on heart rate variability (HRV) during early recovery following acute exercise in insufficiently active young men.
Thirty-six healthy men aged 18-35 years were randomly assigned to one of three groups: classical massage, device-assisted massage, or passive rest. All participants completed a standardized 5-minute step exercise. HRV was assessed before exercise, immediately after exercise, and immediately after the assigned 10-minute recovery intervention. The study aimed to compare changes in cardiac autonomic recovery among the three recovery conditions.
- Being tested
- Standardized Step Exercise, Classical Massage, Device-Assisted Massage, Passive Rest
- Keywords
- Heart Rate Variability, Post-Exercise Recovery, Classical Massage, Device-Assisted Massage, Cardiac Autonomic Modulation, Parasympathetic Reactivation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Standardized Step ExerciseOther
Participants performed 5 minutes of step exercise on a 20-cm step platform at a standardized cadence of 30 complete step cycles per minute. The exercise rhythm was controlled using a metronome, and participants were instructed to maintain the prescribed cadence throughout the exercise.
Classical MassageOther
Classical massage was applied bilaterally to the lower extremities for 10 minutes using Swedish massage techniques, including stroking (effleurage) and kneading (petrissage). For each lower extremity, the intervention began with three repetitions of general stroking. The quadriceps, hamstring, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles were then treated sequentially with three repetitions of stroking, three repetitions of kneading, and a further three repetitions of stroking. The intervention was completed with three repetitions of general stroking.
Device-Assisted MassageDevice
Device-assisted massage was applied bilaterally to the lower-extremity muscles for 10 minutes using a percussion-type massage gun at 2600 rpm. The device head was maintained in continuous contact with the muscle tissue and held approximately perpendicular to the body surface while being moved slowly and continuously along the longitudinal axis of the muscle fibers. The quadriceps, hamstring, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscle groups were treated.
Passive RestOther
Participants remained seated for 10 minutes without receiving massage or any other recovery intervention. The duration of passive rest was matched to the duration of the massage interventions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Classical Massage Group | Experimental | Participants completed the standardized 5-minute step exercise and then received a 10-minute bilateral classical Swedish massage of the lower extremities. Receives: Other: Standardized Step Exercise; Other: Classical Massage |
| Device-Assisted Massage Group | Experimental | Participants completed the standardized 5-minute step exercise and then received a 10-minute bilateral device-assisted percussion massage of the lower extremities. Receives: Other: Standardized Step Exercise; Device: Device-Assisted Massage |
| Control Group | Other | Participants completed the standardized 5-minute step exercise and then remained seated for 10 minutes of passive rest without receiving massage. Receives: Other: Standardized Step Exercise; Other: Passive Rest |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
SDNN
Standard Deviation of Normal-to-Normal Intervals (SDNN)
Measured: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
RMSSD
Root Mean Square of Successive Differences (RMSSD)
Measured: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
pNN50
Percentage of Successive NN Intervals Differing by More Than 50 ms (pNN50)
Measured: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
HRV triangular index
HRV Triangular Index
Measured: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
HF
High-Frequency Power (HF)
Measured: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
LF
Low-Frequency Power (LF)
Measured: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
VLF
Very-Low-Frequency Power (VLF)
Measured: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
LF/HF
Low-Frequency to High-Frequency Ratio (LF/HF)
Measured: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
Secondary outcomes (1)
Heart Rate
Heart Rate
Measured: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Nov 2026
- Study start1 May 2025
- Primary completion1 Aug 2026
- Study completion1 Aug 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Post-Exercise Cardiac Autonomic RecoveryStudies 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
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 36 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Nigde Omer Halisdemir University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Gürkan Demirtas, Nigde Omer Halisdemir University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07915635
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2025/5778
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 29 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 4 Nov 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 underlying the results reported in the primary publication will be made available upon reasonable request.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Nov 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Classical and Device-Assisted Massage on Heart Rate Variability After Acute Step Exercise in Insufficiently Active Men
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07915635
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2025/5778
- Keywords
- Heart Rate Variability, Post-Exercise Recovery, Classical Massage, Device-Assisted Massage, Cardiac Autonomic Modulation, Parasympathetic Reactivation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 36 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Nigde Omer Halisdemir UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 May 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Aug 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 4 Nov 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 randomized controlled study evaluated the effects of classical massage and device-assisted massage on heart rate variability (HRV) during early recovery following acute exercise in insufficiently active young men.
Thirty-six healthy men aged 18-35 years were randomly assigned to one of three groups: classical massage, device-assisted massage, or passive rest. All participants completed a standardized 5-minute step exercise. HRV was assessed before exercise, immediately after exercise, and immediately after the assigned 10-minute recovery intervention. The study aimed to compare changes in cardiac autonomic recovery among the three recovery conditions.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Classical Massage Group | Experimental | Other: Standardized Step Exercise, Other: Classical MassageParticipants completed the standardized 5-minute step exercise and then received a 10-minute bilateral classical Swedish massage of the lower extremities. |
| Device-Assisted Massage Group | Experimental | Other: Standardized Step Exercise, Device: Device-Assisted MassageParticipants completed the standardized 5-minute step exercise and then received a 10-minute bilateral device-assisted percussion massage of the lower extremities. |
| Control Group | Other | Other: Standardized Step Exercise, Other: Passive RestParticipants completed the standardized 5-minute step exercise and then remained seated for 10 minutes of passive rest without receiving massage. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Male participants aged 18-35 years. Healthy volunteers. Insufficiently active according to the World Health Organization 2020 physical activity guidelines, defined as not meeting the recommended minimum level of physical activity.
- Willing to participate in the study and able to complete the exercise protocol.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Upper respiratory tract infection within the previous two weeks. Neurological, orthopedic, or systemic disease. Regular corticosteroid use. History of lower-extremity surgery. Pain or a musculoskeletal condition that could interfere with completion of the exercise 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Standardized Step ExerciseParticipants performed 5 minutes of step exercise on a 20-cm step platform at a standardized cadence of 30 complete step cycles per minute. The exercise rhythm was controlled using a metronome, and participants were instructed to maintain the prescribed cadence throughout the exercise. | Other | Classical Massage Group, Control Group, Device-Assisted Massage Group |
| Classical MassageClassical massage was applied bilaterally to the lower extremities for 10 minutes using Swedish massage techniques, including stroking (effleurage) and kneading (petrissage). For each lower extremity, the intervention began with three repetitions of general stroking. The quadriceps, hamstring, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles were then treated sequentially with three repetitions of stroking, three repetitions of kneading, and a further three repetitions of stroking. The intervention was completed with three repetitions of general stroking. | Other | Classical Massage Group |
| Device-Assisted MassageDevice-assisted massage was applied bilaterally to the lower-extremity muscles for 10 minutes using a percussion-type massage gun at 2600 rpm. The device head was maintained in continuous contact with the muscle tissue and held approximately perpendicular to the body surface while being moved slowly and continuously along the longitudinal axis of the muscle fibers. The quadriceps, hamstring, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscle groups were treated. | Device | Device-Assisted Massage Group |
| Passive RestParticipants remained seated for 10 minutes without receiving massage or any other recovery intervention. The duration of passive rest was matched to the duration of the massage interventions. | Other | Control Group |
Primary outcome
SDNN
Time frame: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
Standard Deviation of Normal-to-Normal Intervals (SDNN)
RMSSD
Time frame: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
Root Mean Square of Successive Differences (RMSSD)
pNN50
Time frame: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
Percentage of Successive NN Intervals Differing by More Than 50 ms (pNN50)
HRV triangular index
Time frame: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
HRV Triangular Index
HF
Time frame: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
High-Frequency Power (HF)
LF
Time frame: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
Low-Frequency Power (LF)
VLF
Time frame: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
Very-Low-Frequency Power (VLF)
LF/HF
Time frame: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
Low-Frequency to High-Frequency Ratio (LF/HF)
1 secondary outcome
Heart Rate
Time frame: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention
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 Nov 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. De-identified individual participant data underlying the results reported in the primary publication will be made available upon reasonable request.
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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 Standardized Step Exercise, Classical Massage and Device-Assisted Massage in people with Post-Exercise Cardiac Autonomic Recovery and Heart Rate Variability (HRV), run by Nigde Omer Halisdemir 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 2 inclusion and 1 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 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 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?
SDNN (time frame: Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and immediately post-intervention). The study lists 8 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 4 Nov 2026.