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Published on: September 20, 2019
Acute Effect of Percussive Massage on Cross-Section Area, Muscle Strength, and Late Muscle Pain of the Quadriceps
Aline da Rosa Castilho1, Andreo Fernando Aguiar1, Alex Silva Ribeiro2
1Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Pythagoras Unopar University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
Background And Purpose:
The massage gun is widely used to alleviate delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS); however, empirical evidence regarding its physiological effects remains limited.
Objectives:
This study aimed to evaluate the acute effects of percussive massage on the quadriceps muscle's cross-sectional area (CSA), strength performance, and pain perception following a fatigue protocol.
Methods:
A randomized clinical trial was conducted including 37 physically active men. Participants performed a fatigue protocol on a 45° leg press, at 70% of their one-repetition maximum (1RM). The volunteers were allocated to an intervention group (G0 n = 19, mean ± SD; 25.7 ± 4.5 years, 83.7 ± 10.6 kg, 176.8 ± 6.3 cm) and control group (G1 n = 18, mean ± SD; 27.6 ± 5.0 years, 76.8 ± 15.7 kg, 174 ± 7.3 cm). Assessments were performed at baseline, 24 and 48 h, using ultrasound imaging, isometric dynamometer and VAS questionnaire (visual analog pain scale).
Results:
Regarding the muscle area, significant increases were observed in the control group p < 0,05 for the rectus femoris at both measurement points compared with the baseline, which suggests that percussive massage may mitigate exercise-induced edema. While no statistically significant differences were observed between groups or across time points for muscle strength, G0 demonstrated a large effect size (d > 2.0) in strength maintenance at 24 and 48 h compared to G1. Both groups showed reduction in pain over time, while G0 demonstrated a significant decrease at 48 h compared to 24 h (53%, p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
Within-group assessments revealed significant reductions in pain perception over time for the intervention group. Regarding muscle strength, despite a large exploratory effect size observed during recovery, no statistically significant between-group superiority over passive rest was established. The findings suggest potential preliminary benefits for symptom relief without acute performance deficits.
