Title | Effects of immediate vs. delayed massage-like loading on skeletal muscle viscoelastic properties following eccentric exercise. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2014 |
Authors | Crawford SK, Haas C, Butterfield TA, Wang Q, Zhang X, Zhao Y, Best TM |
Journal | Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon) |
Volume | 29 |
Issue | 6 |
Pagination | 671-8 |
Date Published | 2014 Jun |
ISSN | 1879-1271 |
Keywords | Animals, Elasticity, Exercise Test, Male, Massage, Models, Biological, Muscle Relaxation, Muscle, Skeletal, Myalgia, Physical Conditioning, Animal, Rabbits, Random Allocation, Range of Motion, Articular, Time Factors |
Abstract | BACKGROUND: This study compared immediate versus delayed massage-like compressive loading on skeletal muscle viscoelastic properties following eccentric exercise. METHODS: Eighteen rabbits were surgically instrumented with peroneal nerve cuffs for stimulation of the tibialis anterior muscle. Rabbits were randomly assigned to a massage loading protocol applied immediately post exercise (n=6), commencing 48h post exercise (n=6), or exercised no-massage control (n=6). Viscoelastic properties were evaluated in vivo by performing a stress-relaxation test pre- and post-exercise and daily pre- and post-massage for four consecutive days of massage loading. A quasi-linear viscoelastic approach modeled the instantaneous elastic response (AG0), fast (g1(p)) and slow (g2(p)) relaxation coefficients, and the corresponding relaxation time constants τ1 and τ2. FINDINGS: Exercise increased AG0 in all groups (P<0.05). After adjusting for the three multiple comparisons, recovery of AG0 was not significant in the immediate (P=0.021) or delayed (P=0.048) group compared to the control group following four days of massage. However, within-day (pre- to post-massage) analysis revealed a decrease in AG0 in both massage groups. Following exercise, g1(p) increased and g2(p) and τ1 decreased for all groups (P<0.05). Exercise had no effect on τ2 (P>0.05). After four days of massage, there was no significant recovery of the relaxation parameters for either massage loading group compared to the control group. INTERPRETATION: Our findings suggest that massage loading following eccentric exercise has a greater effect on reducing muscle stiffness, estimated by AG0, within-day rather than affecting recovery over multiple days. Massage loading also has little effect on the relaxation response. |
DOI | 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2014.04.007 |
Alternate Journal | Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon) |
PubMed ID | 24861827 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC4112012 |
Grant List | R01 AT004922 / AT / NCCIH NIH HHS / United States R01AT004922 / AT / NCCIH NIH HHS / United States |