Massage therapy decreases pain and perceived fatigue after long-distance Ironman triathlon: a randomised trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether massage therapy could reduce pain and perceived fatigue in the quadriceps of athletes after completing an Ironman triathlon.
Results Summary
The study found that massage therapy significantly reduced pain and perceived fatigue compared to no intervention, as measured by visual analogue scales, but did not significantly affect pressure pain thresholds.
Population
Seventy-four triathlon athletes who completed an Ironman race and reported pain in the anterior thigh.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
massage therapy | decrease | pain | triathlon athletes who completed an entire Ironman triathlon race and whose main complaint was pain in the anterior portion of the thigh | MD -7 mm, 95% CI -13 to -1 | significantly lower scores | #1 |
massage therapy | decrease | perceived fatigue | triathlon athletes who completed an entire Ironman triathlon race and whose main complaint was pain in the anterior portion of the thigh | MD -15 mm, 95% CI -21 to -9 | significantly lower scores | #2 |
massage therapy | no change | pressure pain threshold | triathlon athletes who completed an entire Ironman triathlon race and whose main complaint was pain in the anterior portion of the thigh | - | no significant between-group differences | #3 |
QUESTION: Can massage therapy reduce pain and perceived fatigue in the quadriceps of athletes after a long-distance triathlon race (Ironman)? DESIGN: Randomised, controlled trial with concealed allocation, intention-to-treat analysis and blinded outcome assessors. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-four triathlon athletes who completed an entire Ironman triathlon race and whose main complaint was pain in the anterior portion of the thigh. INTERVENTION: The experimental group received massage to the quadriceps, which was aimed at recovery after competition, and the control group rested in sitting. OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcomes were pain and perceived fatigue, which were reported using a visual analogue scale, and pressure pain threshold at three points over the quadriceps muscle, which was assessed using digital pressure algometry. RESULTS: The experimental group had significantly lower scores than the control group on the visual analogue scale for pain (MD -7 mm, 95% CI -13 to -1) and for perceived fatigue (MD -15 mm, 95% CI -21 to -9). There were no significant between-group differences for the pressure pain threshold at any of the assessment points. CONCLUSION: Massage therapy was more effective than no intervention on the post-race recovery from pain and perceived fatigue in long-distance triathlon athletes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials, RBR-4n2sxr.