The effects of one session of roller massage on recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage: A randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Journal of exercise science and fitness Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 148 - 154
• Main Authors: Medeiros, Flávia V.A., Bottaro, Martim, Martins, Wagner R., Ribeiro, Deise L.F., Marinho, Emmanuela B.A., Viana, Ricardo B., Ferreira-Junior, João B., Carmo, Jake C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Elsevier B.V 01-09-2020; The Society of Chinese Scholars on Exercise Physiology and Fitness; Elsevier
• Subjects: Exercise; Instrument-assisted; Massage; Myalgia; Myofascial release; Original; Myofascial release; Exercise; Massage; Myalgia; Instrument-assisted
• ISSN: 1728-869X; 2226-5104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jesf.2020.05.002

Roller massage has become a popular intervention in sports settings in order to treat muscle soreness and stiffness, as well as improving post-exercise recovery, although there is limited evidence for these assumptions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a single session of roller massage, applied with a controlled force after an exercise-induced muscle damage protocol, on muscle recovery.
A randomized controlled study was performed using a repeated-measures design. Thirty-six young men completed four sets of six eccentric actions of elbow flexors at 90°/s with a 90s rest interval between sets. Participants were randomly assigned into one of three groups: 1) Roller massage (n = 12), 2) Sham (n = 12), and 3) Control (n = 12). Maximal isometric voluntary contraction (MIVC), delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), range of motion (ROM), and muscle thickness were measured at baseline, and at 24, 48, and 72 h post exercise.
There was no significant group by time interaction for MIVC (p = 0.090) and ROM (p = 0.416). Also, although there was a significant group by time interaction for muscle thickness (p = 0.028), post hoc test did not find significant difference between groups (p > 0.05). DOMS was recovered at 72 h for roller massage (p < 0.001) and control (p < 0.001) groups, while the Sham group did not recover from DOMS across 72 h (p < 0.001). There was also no significant difference between groups in DOMS at any time (p > 0.05).
A single session of roller massage applied on elbow flexors had no effect on recovery of MIVC, muscle swelling, ROM and DOMS.
•A single session of roller massage did not improve neuromuscular recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage.•A single session of roller massage does not seem to be an effective strategy for improvements in the range of motion, muscle soreness and muscle swelling.•A single session of roller massage using a standardized applied force did not influence indirect markers throughout 72 h following exercise-induced muscle damage.