Effects of Myofascial Release After High-Intensity Exercise: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Received 23 May 2007; received in revised form 30 July 2007; accepted 22 September 2007.
Abstract
Objective
The usefulness of massage as a recovery method after high-intensity exercise has yet to be established. We aimed to investigate the effects of whole-body massage on heart rate variability (HRV) and blood pressure (BP) after repeated high-intensity cycling exercise under controlled and standardized pretest conditions.
Methods
The study included 62 healthy active individuals. After baseline measurements, the subjects performed standardized warm-up exercises followed by three 30-second Wingate tests. After completing the exercise protocol, the subjects were randomly assigned to a massage (myofascial release) or placebo (sham treatment with disconnected ultrasound and magnetotherapy equipment) group for a 40-minute recovery period. Holter recording and BP measurements were taken after exercise protocol and after the intervention.
Results
After the exercise protocol, both groups showed a significant decrease in normal-to-normal interval, HRV index, diastolic BP (P > .001), and low-frequency domain values (P = .006). After the recovery period, HRV index (P = .42) and high-frequency (HF) (P = .94) values were similar to baseline levels in the massage group, whereas the HRV index tended (P = .05) to be lower and the HF was significantly (P < .01) lower vs baseline values in the placebo group, which also showed a tendency (P = .06) for HF to be lower than after the exercise. Likewise, diastolic BP returned to baseline levels in the massage group (P = .45) but remained lower in the placebo group (P = .02).
Conclusion
Myofascial release massage favors the recovery of HRV and diastolic BP after high-intensity exercise (3 Wingate tests) to preexercise levels.
aLecturer-Ptrofessor, Physiotherapy Department, High Altitude Training Centre of Sierra Nevada, Higher Sports Council, Health Sciences School, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
bProfessor, Laboratory of Medical Investigations, San Cecilio University Hospital of Granada, Granada, EspañaGranada, Spain
cLecturer-Ptrofessor, Sport and Exercise Faculty, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
dResearch Fellow, Health Sciences Faculty, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
Submit requests for reprints to: Manuel Arroyo-Morales, PT, MD, PhD, EU Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Granada, Avda Madrid s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain.
ABSTRACT