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A Randomized Controlled Trial of Massage and Pneumatic Compression for Ultramarathon Recovery
The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy
|March 25, 2016
Summary
Postexercise massage and pneumatic compression offer immediate subjective relief from ultramarathon fatigue but do not provide lasting functional recovery benefits.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Exercise Physiology
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Postexercise recovery interventions are common but under-researched.
- Effectiveness of recovery methods after extreme endurance events requires investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of massage and pneumatic compression for recovery after a 161-km ultramarathon.
Main Methods:
- Randomized controlled trial involving 72 ultramarathon finishers.
- Interventions included 20-minute postrace massage, pneumatic compression, or rest.
- Functional performance (400m runs) and subjective fatigue/pain were assessed for 7 days.
Main Results:
- No significant group differences in 400m run times were observed.
- Massage and pneumatic compression provided immediate reductions in perceived muscle pain and fatigue.
- No significant group differences in outcomes were found 1-7 days post-race.
Conclusions:
- Single sessions of postrace massage and pneumatic compression offer short-term subjective improvements.
- These interventions do not demonstrate clinically significant extended subjective or functional recovery benefits.
