Effects of a Single Session of Active Release Technique on Gastrocnemius Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness in Male...

Background/Objectives: Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a common consequence of eccentric exercise, characterized by pain, stiffness, and reduced function. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effect of a single session of Active Release Technique (ART) on gastrocnemius DOMS in amateur football athletes. Methods: Twelve football athletes participated in a randomized split-body design study. All participants completed a bilateral eccentric heel-raise protocol to induce DOMS. One lower limb from each participant was randomly assigned to the ART group (single 8-10 min session), while the contralateral limb served as a control. Pain intensity was assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and the pressure pain threshold (PPT) was measured at baseline and at 24, 48, and 72 h post-exercise. Results: The ART group demonstrated significantly lower NRS scores at 24 h compared with the control group (p = 0.007, r = 0.77). At 48 and 72 h, NRS scores remained significantly lower (48 h: p = 0.001, d = 1.26; 72 h: p = 0.003, d = 1.11). PPT values were also significantly higher in the ART group at 24, 48 and 72 h (24 h: p = 0.026, d = 0.73; 48 h: p < 0.001, d = 1.42; 72 h: p = 0.006, d = 0.98). Conclusions: A single ART session may reduce pain and increase the pressure pain threshold following gastrocnemius DOMS in amateur football athletes. However, given the pilot design, small sample size, and absence of functional outcome measures, these findings should be interpreted with caution and confirmed in future studies.