None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
It is known that the symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), such as pain, weakness and swelling, occur after intense exercise, mainly after unaccustomed eccentric exercise. Eccentric exercise is the type that occurs when a muscle tenses whilst it is lengthening e.g., when you are lowering a dumbbell after completing a biceps curl. DOMS leads to impaired performance for athletes and untrained individuals. There are no effective means of treating DOMS other than perhaps to avoid it in the first instance. Research investigating the effect of low level laser therapy (LLLT) on muscle injury from exercises that cause fatigue, suggests that LLLT may be useful for treating DOMS. This study will analyse if LLLT, used before and after eccentric exercise, is able to prevent or minimize the symptoms associated with DOMS, as well as evaluate indicators of muscle damage that can be assessed in a range of ways including blood sample and muscle biopsy and what it will permit to visualize the muscle recovery after the eccentric exercise and laser therapy.
Interventions
Low level laser therapy (LLLT)
The irradiation will be performed in contact mode with the laser probe held stationary with slight pressure at a 90 degrees angle on each of the three treatment points and to do the LLLT irradiations in the same biceps area for each participant, a template will be utilized. The three treatments points will be along the muscle belly of brachii biceps and each application of laser will be approximately 45 seconds. . Each subject will receive two irradiations, in the
Low level laser therapy (LLLT) The irradiation will be performed in contact mode with the laser probe held stationary with slight pressure at a 90 degrees angle on each of the three treatment points and to do the LLLT irradiations in the same biceps area for each participant, a template will be utilized. The three treatments points will be along the muscle belly of brachii biceps and each application of laser will be approximately 45 seconds. . Each subject will receive two irradiations, in the same day, with either active LLLT or placebo LLLT, finishing 5 minutes before and commencing 5 minutes after the eccentric exercise protocol. The laser parameters are: 830 nm infrared wavelength (GaAlAs), continuous wave output, optical output of 110 mW, spot size of 78 mm2, energy of 5 J per point, 12 points of irradiation, total energy of 60 J, energy density of 0,64 J/cm2. The eccentric exercise protocol will be realized in a isokinect dynamometer with the participants seated and using the elbow/sholder attachment; three sets with 20 repetions of elbow contraction and extension, with an intensity corresponding to 80% of their predertermined maximal voluntary contraction (MVC).
Sponsors
A/Prof Liisa Laakso
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
Male
Age
18 Years to 28 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
The inclusion criteria will be: healthy males aged between 18 and 28 years enrolled in recreational sports, but not competing at any specific level. They will not be enrolled in strength training programs and will not be users of nutritional supplements. Participants with a body mass index (BMI) between 20 and 25 Kg/m2 will be selected to take part in the study.
Exclusion criteria
The exclusion criteria will be: any previous injury to the shoulder or elbow, cardiovascular system disorders, systemic disease and taking prescription medicines or using dietary supplements. Participants, who do not comply with the training routine, miss the training sessions or develop any osseous or muscle or articular injuries will be excluded.
Outcome results
None listed