LaserNCT05627141
Photobiomodulation, Cryotherapy Combined With Compression, and Massage for Recovery
A study testing Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage in people with Laser and Muscle; Fatigue, Heart, run by Universidade Anhanguera at 1 site in Brazil.
Trial summary
Skeletal muscle fatigue is an inevitable phenomenon in the training and competition routine for many crossfit athletes, which can impair their physical performance and predispose them to musculoskeletal injuries. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 40 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Laser, Muscle; Fatigue, Heart, Muscle Damage
- What is being tested?
- Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteBrazil
- Study dates
- 1 Mar 2022to 1 Jul 2023
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 40 years
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Male participants;
- Adults; aged between 18 and 40 years;
- Body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 30 kg/m2;
- Crossfit practitioners of the scale, amateur, RX and elite categories;
- Training at least 5 days a week.
Who cannot join
- Orthopedic injuries in the lower limbs (2 months) or during the development of the study will be excluded;
- Participants with less than 5 training sessions per week;
- Participants making regular use of pharmacological agents and/or ergogenic supplements;
- Participants who regularly use alcohol and/or tobacco;
- Participants with skin lesions (open wounds) on the lower limbs.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Comparison Between Photobiomodulation, Cryotherapy Combined With Compression, and Massage for Muscle Recovery in Crossfit Athletes
Skeletal muscle fatigue is an inevitable phenomenon in the training and competition routine for many crossfit athletes, which can impair their physical performance and predispose them to musculoskeletal injuries. Thus, strategies and/or therapies that minimize fatigue and accelerate muscle recovery are extremely relevant for everyone involved with sport. The aim of the present study is to investigate and compare the effects of photobiomodulation, cryotherapy combined with compression, and massage as isolated therapies for muscle recovery after a protocol of induced muscle damage and fatigue in Crossfit athletes. This is a randomized, double-blind, crossover, sham-controlled clinical trial. Will be recruited 60 male participants, adults, aged between 18 and 40 years, Crossfit practitioners. They will be randomly allocated into 3 groups of 20 participants per therapy, each crossed between effective and sham every 15 days. The primary outcome will be muscle performance in functional test (free squat) and knee extensor torque in maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). Secondary outcomes will be evaluated by the levels of muscle damage via creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and inflammatory process via blood C-reactive protein (CRP); and delayed onset muscle pain via numerical verbal scale (0-10). All outcomes will be evaluated at baseline, 24h and 48h after induction of muscle damage and fatigue. Data will be analyzed and compared intra and inter groups with a significance level of 5%.
Read the detailed description
This is a randomized, double-blind, crossover, controlled clinical trial of sham therapy.
- Conditions
- Laser, Muscle; Fatigue, Heart, Muscle Damage
- Being tested
- Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage
- Keywords
- Photobiomodulation, Crossfit, Muscle Damage
- Medical subject headings
- Fatigue
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, MassageOther
Photobiomodulation: the 20 participants will receive active photobiomodulation or sham immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session. Cryotherapy combined with compression: the 20 participants will receive effective cryotherapy (10-12°C for 20 min) combined with high compression, or sham (25°C for 20 min) combined with light compression, on the lower limbs, immediately after the protocol. induction of muscle damage and fatigue. Effective cryotherapy or sham will be applied in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session.
Massage: the 20 participants will receive the effective massage or sham immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Photobiomodulation | Experimental | 10 participants will receive active photobiomodulation immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session Receives: Other: Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage |
| Sham Photobiomodulation | Sham comparator | 10 participants will receive sham photobiomodulation immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session Receives: Other: Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage |
| Active Cryotherapy | Experimental | 10 participants will receive effective cryotherapy (10-12°C for 20 min) combined with high compression on the lower limbs, or sham (25°C for 20 min) damage and fatigue induction protocol. muscle. Receives: Other: Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage |
| Sham Cryotherapy | Sham comparator | 10 participants will receive sham cryotherapy (25°C for 20 min) combined with light compression on the lower limbs immediately after the damage and fatigue induction protocol. muscle. Receives: Other: Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage |
| Massage | Experimental | 10 participants will receive the effective massage immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session. Receives: Other: Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage |
| Sham Massage | Sham comparator | 10 participants will receive the sham massage immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session. Receives: Other: Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Muscle Force Dynamometry
participants will be evaluated regarding the dominant knee extensor torque during maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) in an extensor chair.
Measured: 48 hours
Blood markers of muscle damage and inflammatory process
To measure the serum levels of CPK and CRP, blood samples will be collected after aseptic cleaning of the ventral side of the dominant arm. All blood collection procedures will be performed by a qualified nurse (who will not know to which group each participant will belong). Collections will be performed using vacuum collection tubes, without anticoagulant (10ml), centrifuged at 4,000g for 5 minutes, and stored at -80°C until analysis. Blood collections will be performed at baseline (before WOD and leg extension exercise), 24h and 48h after. Blood analysis will be performed using infrared spectrophotometry in a clinical analysis laboratory (Matter Diagnósticos, Campo Grande, MS) and by an evaluator who is blinded to the therapies applied.
Measured: 48 hours
Delayed onset muscle pain
The subjective perception of pain will be through a numerical verbal scale (NVS) graduated in centimeters (from 0 to 10), where 0 corresponds to no pain, and 10 corresponds to the maximum possible pain (HAWKER et al., 2011). Pain will be provoked in participants through CIVM for knee extension of the dominant lower limb, in full extension (0°) and without load (FERRARESI et al., 2016). Volunteers will be asked about the level of pain they will feel immediately before WOD and MVIC in a leg extension, 24h and 48h after.
Measured: 48 hours
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Nov 2022
- Study start1 Mar 2022
- Primary completion1 Jun 2023
- Study completion1 Jul 2023
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for LaserStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Universidade Anhanguera
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Filipe Abdalla dos Reis, PhD, Universidade Anhanguera
- Investigators
- Filipe A dos Reis, PhD, Principal investigator, Ufscar
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05627141
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 001
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 2 Mar 2022
- Last updated
- 14 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 14 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Comparison Between Photobiomodulation, Cryotherapy Combined With Compression, and Massage for Muscle Recovery in Crossfit Athletes
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05627141
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 001
- Conditions
- Laser, Muscle; Fatigue, Heart, Muscle Damage
- Keywords
- Photobiomodulation, Crossfit, Muscle Damage
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Universidade AnhangueraUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos
- Study start
- 1 Mar 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jun 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Jul 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 25 Nov 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Skeletal muscle fatigue is an inevitable phenomenon in the training and competition routine for many crossfit athletes, which can impair their physical performance and predispose them to musculoskeletal injuries. Thus, strategies and/or therapies that minimize fatigue and accelerate muscle recovery are extremely relevant for everyone involved with sport. The aim of the present study is to investigate and compare the effects of photobiomodulation, cryotherapy combined with compression, and massage as isolated therapies for muscle recovery after a protocol of induced muscle damage and fatigue in Crossfit athletes. This is a randomized, double-blind, crossover, sham-controlled clinical trial. Will be recruited 60 male participants, adults, aged between 18 and 40 years, Crossfit practitioners. They will be randomly allocated into 3 groups of 20 participants per therapy, each crossed between effective and sham every 15 days. The primary outcome will be muscle performance in functional test (free squat) and knee extensor torque in maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). Secondary outcomes will be evaluated by the levels of muscle damage via creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and inflammatory process via blood C-reactive protein (CRP); and delayed onset muscle pain via numerical verbal scale (0-10). All outcomes will be evaluated at baseline, 24h and 48h after induction of muscle damage and fatigue. Data will be analyzed and compared intra and inter groups with a significance level of 5%.
Detailed description
This is a randomized, double-blind, crossover, controlled clinical trial of sham therapy.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 6
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Photobiomodulation | Experimental | Other: Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage10 participants will receive active photobiomodulation immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session |
| Sham Photobiomodulation | Sham comparator | Other: Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage10 participants will receive sham photobiomodulation immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session |
| Active Cryotherapy | Experimental | Other: Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage10 participants will receive effective cryotherapy (10-12°C for 20 min) combined with high compression on the lower limbs, or sham (25°C for 20 min) damage and fatigue induction protocol. muscle. |
| Sham Cryotherapy | Sham comparator | Other: Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage10 participants will receive sham cryotherapy (25°C for 20 min) combined with light compression on the lower limbs immediately after the damage and fatigue induction protocol. muscle. |
| Massage | Experimental | Other: Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage10 participants will receive the effective massage immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session. |
| Sham Massage | Sham comparator | Other: Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage10 participants will receive the sham massage immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 40 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Male participants;
- Adults; aged between 18 and 40 years;
- Body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 30 kg/m2;
- Crossfit practitioners of the scale, amateur, RX and elite categories;
- Training at least 5 days a week.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Orthopedic injuries in the lower limbs (2 months) or during the development of the study will be excluded;
- Participants with less than 5 training sessions per week;
- Participants making regular use of pharmacological agents and/or ergogenic supplements;
- Participants who regularly use alcohol and/or tobacco;
- Participants with skin lesions (open wounds) on the lower limbs.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, MassagePhotobiomodulation: the 20 participants will receive active photobiomodulation or sham immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session. Cryotherapy combined with compression: the 20 participants will receive effective cryotherapy (10-12°C for 20 min) combined with high compression, or sham (25°C for 20 min) combined with light compression, on the lower limbs, immediately after the protocol. induction of muscle damage and fatigue. Effective cryotherapy or sham will be applied in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session. Massage: the 20 participants will receive the effective massage or sham immediately after the muscle damage and fatigue induction protocol in a randomized and crossover manner, with an interval of 15 days between each evaluation session. | Other | Active Cryotherapy, Massage, Photobiomodulation, Sham Cryotherapy, Sham Massage, Sham Photobiomodulation |
Primary outcome
Muscle Force Dynamometry
Time frame: 48 hours
participants will be evaluated regarding the dominant knee extensor torque during maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) in an extensor chair.
Blood markers of muscle damage and inflammatory process
Time frame: 48 hours
To measure the serum levels of CPK and CRP, blood samples will be collected after aseptic cleaning of the ventral side of the dominant arm. All blood collection procedures will be performed by a qualified nurse (who will not know to which group each participant will belong). Collections will be performed using vacuum collection tubes, without anticoagulant (10ml), centrifuged at 4,000g for 5 minutes, and stored at -80°C until analysis. Blood collections will be performed at baseline (before WOD and leg extension exercise), 24h and 48h after. Blood analysis will be performed using infrared spectrophotometry in a clinical analysis laboratory (Matter Diagnósticos, Campo Grande, MS) and by an evaluator who is blinded to the therapies applied.
Delayed onset muscle pain
Time frame: 48 hours
The subjective perception of pain will be through a numerical verbal scale (NVS) graduated in centimeters (from 0 to 10), where 0 corresponds to no pain, and 10 corresponds to the maximum possible pain (HAWKER et al., 2011). Pain will be provoked in participants through CIVM for knee extension of the dominant lower limb, in full extension (0°) and without load (FERRARESI et al., 2016). Volunteers will be asked about the level of pain they will feel immediately before WOD and MVIC in a leg extension, 24h and 48h after.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 14 Apr 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Filipe A dos Reis, PhD principal investigator
Ufscar
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Photobiomodulation; Cryotherapy, Massage in people with Laser and Muscle; Fatigue, Heart, run by Universidade Anhanguera at 1 site in Brazil.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Brazil. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Muscle Force Dynamometry (time frame: 48 hours). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Apr 2026.