The effects of ice massage on delayed muscle soreness

The following hypotheses were tested in the present study: (1) cryotherapy would reduce delayed muscle soreness (DMS) in eccentrically exercised muscles; (2) early cold treatment would reduce this soreness more than later postexercise treatment times; and (3) joint range of motion (ROM) would be inversely related to the subjective soreness ratings. Subjective sensations of muscular soreness and changes in elbow joint ROM were assessed in 30 subjects at 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours following eccentric-biased exercise in the elbow flexors. Cold treatments were applied immediately, 24 or 48 hours following a single exercise session. In response to the eccentric exercise, significant muscle soreness increases and elbow ROM decreases were observed in all exercised muscles from 24 to 48 hours postexercise. No differences in muscle soreness or elbow ROM changes were observed between treated and untreated arms except for one. Subjects treated at 24 hours postexercise reported greater soreness in their arms compared to untreated arms just prior to treatment (24 hour postexercise). The results do not support the efficacy of cold in reducing DMS. A negative correlation between muscle soreness and elbow ROM at 48 and 72 hours postexercise indicated that an increase in soreness was associated with a decrease in ROM.