The goal of this clinical trial is to compare two recovery methods after fatigue in young athletes. It aims to find out if tecar therapy (TECAR) or cycle ergometer exercise can improve recovery after intense physical activity and help athletes return to their normal performance more quickly.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does TECAR or cycle ergometer improve physical performance after fatigue?
Do these methods reduce muscle pain and soreness after fatigue?
Researchers will compare TECAR with active recovery using a cycle ergometer to see which method is more effective.
Participants will:
Perform a series of jumps to induce fatigue
Be randomly assigned to one of the recovery methods
Complete physical tests before and after fatigue
Undergo simple measurements of muscle condition and pain
Report their level of effort and muscle soreness
Adults aged 18 years or older
Engaging in regular physical activity
Experience with sports involving jumping or plyometric exercises
Performed intense physical exercise within 24 hours before the study
Planned to perform intense physical exercise within 24 hours after the study
Presence of muscle soreness at the beginning of the study
Musculoskeletal injury in the previous 6 months
Parallel
Tecar therapy (capacitive mode)
DeviceTECAR is applied using capacitive radiofrequency energy for 20 minutes following a standardized fatigue protocol. The intervention is delivered using capacitive mode only, combining manual mobile application and fixed automatic application over the quadriceps region to promote recovery after exercise-induced fatigue.
Active recovery using cycle ergometer
BehavioralActive recovery consists of continuous cycling on a cycle ergometer for 20 minutes at low intensity, not exceeding 2-3 on a 0-10 rating of perceived exertion scale. This intervention is performed after a standardized fatigue protocol and reflects common recovery practices in athletic settings.
Countermovement jump height
Vertical jump performance will be assessed using a countermovement jump test. Jump height will be measured using a validated mobile application after three attempts, and the mean value will be recorded.
Muscle mechanical properties
Muscle mechanical properties will be assessed using a handheld myotonometer. Parameters will include muscle tone and stiffness measured at standardized anatomical locations of the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, medial gastrocnemius, and lateral gastrocnemius.
Pressure pain threshold
Pressure pain threshold will be assessed using a handheld algometer. Measurements will be performed at standardized anatomical locations of the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and medial gastrocnemius, and the mean of repeated measurements will be recorded.
Rating of perceived exertion
Perceived exertion will be assessed using a 0-10 rating scale, where higher values indicate greater perceived effort.
Delayed-onset muscle soreness.
Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) will be assessed using a 0-10 numeric rating scale, where 0 indicates no muscle soreness and 10 indicates the worst possible muscle soreness.
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