Ultrasound therapy for exercise-induced muscle soreness and fatigue relief in women with type 2 diabetes: a...

Exercise-induced muscle soreness and fatigue are significant barriers to physical activity in middle-aged women with type 2 diabetes (T2D), exacerbated by impaired tissue healing and chronic inflammation.

To evaluate whether post-exercise therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) effectively reduces exercise-induced muscle soreness and fatigue while improving metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers in women with T2D.

Randomized controlled trial.

Thirty sedentary women with T2D (aged 41-49 years, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 6.5%-9.0%) were randomized to a TUS group (n = 15) or control (n = 15). Both groups completed an 8-week aerobic cycling program (3 sessions/week, 45 min/session, 60%-70% VO₂max). The TUS group received post-exercise ultrasound (3 MHz, 1 W/cm², 7 min/leg) using the Intellect Mobile 2 device. Primary outcomes were pain (Von Korff scale) and fatigue (Borg scale), while secondary outcomes included fasting blood sugar (FBS), HbA1c, inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)), and creatine kinase (CK), assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Linear mixed-effects models adjusted for baseline pain differences.

The TUS group showed marked decreases in pain (-2.2, 95% CI: -2.8 to -1.6, p < 0.001) and fatigue (-1.8, 95% CI: -2.4 to -1.2, p = 0.004) compared to controls. Secondary outcomes substantially improved: HbA1c (-0.5%, p = 0.03), FBS (-19.8 mg/dL, p = 0.01), TNF-α (-24.9 pg/mL, p < 0.001), IL-6 (-11.9 pg/mL, p < 0.001), and CK (-30 U/L, p = 0.01). No adverse events were reported.

TUS is a safe, effective adjunct for reducing exercise-induced muscle soreness and fatigue in women with T2D, with benefits in glycemic control and inflammation. Larger trials with sham controls are needed.

This trial was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20211201053244N1) on June 21, 2022.