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Immediate effect of ice and dry massage during rest breaks on recovery in MMA fighters : a randomized crossover clinical trial study.

Scientific reports
April 10, 2025
Robert Trybulski et al. (6 authors)
Journal ArticleRandomized Controlled TrialHuman StudyClinical
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to determine the acute effects of dry massage and ice massage on recovery parameters (e.g., muscle biomechanical properties, pain threshold, and jump performance) in MMA fighters during short breaks between rounds.

Results Summary

Dry massage was more effective than ice massage in preventing increases in muscle stiffness and tension while preserving elasticity, though ice massage showed a higher pain threshold improvement. Both interventions significantly impacted acute recovery compared to passive rest.

Population

Thirty male MMA fighters, divided into three subgroups (ice massage, dry massage, and control) of 10 participants each.

Effective Dosage

Interventions were applied during 1-minute breaks between five sets of jumps to exhaustion.

Duration

Acute effects (single intervention during breaks).

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (20)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
dry massage
decrease
Reactive Strength Index (RSI)
male MMA fighters
-
the lowest decrease was observed
#1
dry massage
decrease
number of jumps
male MMA fighters
-
the lowest decrease was observed
#2
dry massage
increase
muscle tone (T)
male MMA fighters
-
minor increases were observed
#3
dry massage
increase
muscle elasticity (E)
male MMA fighters
-
minor increases were observed
#4
dry massage
increase
muscle stiffness (S)
male MMA fighters
-
minor increases were observed
#5
ice massage
increase
post-exercise pressure pain threshold (PPT)
male MMA fighters
-
was the highest
#6
ice massage
decrease
every other parameter
male MMA fighters
-
showed slightly worse results
#7
number of jumps
increase
biomechanical variables
male MMA fighters
-
profoundly impacted
#8
number of jumps
increase
muscle stiffness
male MMA fighters
-
leading to increased
#9
number of jumps
increase
muscle tension
male MMA fighters
-
leading to increased
#10
number of jumps
decrease
muscle elasticity
male MMA fighters
-
leading to decreased
#11
number of jumps
decrease
force endurance
male MMA fighters
-
leading to decreased
#12
number of jumps
increase
pain sensitivity
male MMA fighters
-
leading to heightened
#13
dry massage
neutral
acute recovery following rounds of combat sport-related exertions
male MMA fighters
-
can significantly affect
#14
ice massage
neutral
acute recovery following rounds of combat sport-related exertions
male MMA fighters
-
can significantly affect
#15
Massage
decrease
muscle stiffness
male MMA fighters
-
was the most effective in preventing increases
#16
Massage
decrease
muscle tension
male MMA fighters
-
was the most effective in preventing increases
#17
Massage
increase
muscle elasticity
male MMA fighters
-
was the most effective in preserving
#18
ice cooling
decrease
muscle elasticity changes
male MMA fighters
-
had a lesser impact
#19
ice cooling
increase
pressure pain threshold (PPT)
male MMA fighters
-
higher for
#20
Abstract

The MMA fight consists of 5 rounds of 5 min with minimal breaks between the rounds. The exertion load is excessive for the fighters, and the 1-minute breaks give little time for any intervention. This study aimed to examine the acute effects of two methods of regenerative strategies, ice massage and dry massage, and analyze their impact on Reactive Strength Index (RSI - m s- 1), muscles' biomechanical properties: muscle tone (T-Hz), elasticity (E - arb- relative arbitrary unit), stiffness (S - N/m), pressure pain threshold, (PPT - N/cm²), and compare their influence with passive rest. The maximum number of jumps (J - n) treated as an indirect effective measure of the interventions that were conducted was also recorded for each participant in each regenerative strategy. Thirty male MMA fighters took part in the study. Three subgroups of 10 participants (Ice massage, n = 10; dry massage, n = 10; and control, n = 10) were enrolled in the cross-over randomized clinical trial study design. The groups were randomized, and each group underwent each procedure (30 tested in each procedure). Five sets of jumps on a 50 cm box to exhaustion were used as a fatigue protocol with 1-minute breaks. The recovery interventions were performed during the breaks. The statistically significant results revealed in the post-exercise tests: RSI and number of jumps - the lowest decrease was observed in the massage group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.0001 respectively), the minor increases in T, E and S were also observed in the massage group ((p < 0.0001 for all measurements); the post-exercise PPT was the highest (higher means better) in the Ice group (p < 0.001). In every other parameter, the ice massage group showed slightly worse results than the dry massage group. Responder analysis confirms that the number of jumps profoundly impacted biomechanical variables, leading to increased muscle stiffness and tension, decreased elasticity and force endurance, and heightened pain sensitivity. Obtained results confirm that both dry and ice massage can significantly affect acute recovery following rounds of combat sport-related exertions. The Ice and Massage interventions differed in effectiveness - Massage was the most effective in preventing increases in stiffness and tension and preserving muscle elasticity. At the same time, ice cooling had a lesser impact, particularly on muscle elasticity changes but higher for PPT.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AdultHumansMaleYoung AdultCross-Over StudiesIceMassageMuscle StrengthMuscle, SkeletalRestMartial Arts
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy80/10
Quality80/10
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.05
Weight Score2.60
Normalized Score0.68
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