Under the Gun: Percussive Massage Therapy and Physical and Perceptual Recovery in Active Adults

CONTEXT

Handheld percussive massage devices (ie, massage guns) are a relatively new and under-researched recovery tool. These tools are intended to increase range of motion and reduce muscle soreness by delivering targeted vibration to soft tissues. Empirical knowledge about the potential influence of these devices on perceptual recovery and the recovery of performance characteristics after exercise is scarce.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of a 5-minute massage gun application, using a commercially available device, on physical and perceptual recovery after a strenuous bout of lower body exercise.

DESIGN

Controlled laboratory study.

SETTING

Physiology laboratory.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS

A total of 65 active young adults (age = 21.3 ± 1.4 years; age range = 18-30 years; 34 women: height = 165.8 ± 6.1 cm, mass = 66.0 ± 7.4 kg; 31 men: height = 181.1 ± 6.0 cm, mass = 81.5 ± 11.8 kg).

INTERVENTION(S)

Participants applied a massage gun on the calf muscles of 1 leg after strenuous exercise (massage gun recovery group) for 5 minutes and used no recovery intervention on the other leg (control group).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Ankle range of motion, calf circumference, isometric strength, calf endurance, and perceived muscle soreness measures were collected at baseline and at various points after lower body exercise.

RESULTS

No significant group × time interactions were recorded for any of the performance or perceptual measures (P values > .05). Effect sizes were mostly unclear, except for a small increase in perceived muscle soreness in the massage gun recovery group compared with the control group immediately (d = -0.35) and 4 hours (d = -0.48) postrecovery.

CONCLUSIONS

Massage guns appeared to have little effect on physical measures when applied for 5 minutes immediately after strenuous calf exercise. Given the small increase in muscle soreness up to 4 hours after their use, caution is recommended when using massage guns immediately after strenuous lower body exercise.

Contextual Factors Influencing Physical Activity and Technical Performance in Australian Football League Women's Competition Match-Play

ABSTRACT

Leabeater, A, Clarke, A, and Sullivan, C. Contextual factors influencing physical activity and technical performance in AFLW competition match-play. J Strength Cond Res 37(1): 194-199, 2023-The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of contextual factors on physical activity and technical match performance during Australian Football League Women's (AFLW) competition match-play. The study was of a retrospective longitudinal design and used physical activity and technical data collected from female Australian Football players (n = 49) from 1 team during 23 AFLW competition games over 3 seasons. A three-level linear mixed model was constructed to investigate the influence of different contextual factors (match-related variables) on relative total distance (TD), relative high-speed running (HSR) distance, and ranking points during AFLW match-play. The results showed that from season 1 to season 3, relative TD increased by 2.0 m·min-1 (ES: 0.06 [-0.04 to 0.16], p < 0.05) and relative HSR increased by 4.1 m·min-1 (ES: 0.22 [0.14-0.31], p < 0.001). Interstate matches were associated with a reduction of 5.1 m·min-1 per match in TD (ES: -0.21 [-0.30 to -0.12], p < 0.001) and 2.5 m·min-1 in HSR distance (ES: -0.22 [-0.31 to -0.13], p < 0.001). Total disposals were associated with a 0.23 m·minute-1 reduction in HSR for that player (ES: -0.13 [-0.22 to 0.04], p < 0.01). Match margin was the only contextual factor to influence ranking points/min (0.007 AU·min-1, ES: 0.30 [0.21-0.38], p < 0.001). In conclusion, this study shows that player physical activity may be reduced during interstate AFLW matches; the average HSR has increased since the start of the AFLW competition and may reflect increasing match activity profiles, and players have a greater rate of accumulation of ranking points when the score difference is greater.

The AFLW draft combine: Seasonal changes and relationships to draft success

This study aimed to identify seasonal changes in AFLW Draft Combine assessments, examine the physical and anthropometric assessments associated with draft outcome and investigate the presence of a relative age effect. Three seasons (2017-2019) of the AFLW Draft Combine assessment data were obtained (n = 131). Testing data between seasons were examined using a MANOVA. A factor analysis using principal components (identifying speed, lower body power, aerobic capacity, and anthropometry) was conducted prior to the construction of a binary logistic regression model. Speed (including 5, 10 and 20 m sprint times) significantly contributed to the binary logistic regression model discriminating drafted and non-drafted players (p = 0.040). A significant main effect of season was reported (p ≤ 0.01) with post-hoc tests confirming 5, 10 and 20 m sprint times were faster in the 2018 AFLW Draft Combine compared with the 2017 AFLW Draft Combine. No relative age effect was observed in this dataset. Overall, the 20 m sprint test showed the greatest difference between drafted and non-drafted players, while speed (collectively) was the greatest predictor of draft outcome. This data provides insight into the physical qualities of prospective players that were associated with selection to the AFLW competition in its first 3 years.