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This narrative review of kinesiotherapy methods in the treatment of Achilles tendinopathy (AT) encompassed a diverse range of studies, including athletes and untrained people, healthy or injured, undergoing kinesiotherapy treatments. Most experimental studies (86%) reported results related to pain perception, 27% to the range of motion, and 27% to biomechanical assessment. However, the studies showed notable heterogeneity in the outcomes associated with the interventions, and, in this review of kinesiotherapy protocols for AT, a prominent observation emerged regarding their efficacy, suggesting a more favorable impact on pain and tendon stiffness management when comparing the measured parameters between the trained and untrained groups. The importance of tailoring the treatment approach based on the individual's athletic background and conditioning status is underscored. There is a need for personalized rehabilitation strategies in athletic populations. The average duration of kinesiotherapy in the treatment of tendinopathy was 15.3 weeks. This observation underscores the potential of kinesiotherapy interventions as a viable treatment option for individuals with Achilles tendon issues. These findings underscore the urgent need for further research to provide stakeholders with more comprehensive directions for future studies. The results may be helpful for doctors, physiotherapists, trainers, and researchers interested in this topic.
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BACKGROUND Cold and heat therapies for recovery in sports are commonly used, including in the mixed martial arts (MMA). The Game Ready (GR) device can be used for local monotherapy with either heat or cold and for contrast therapy. This study aimed to compare the effects of duration of cold and heat compression on biomechanical changes in the forearm muscles of 20 healthy mixed martial arts athletes. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty MMA volunteers (26.5±4.5 years old) underwent 3 different phases of the GR: (1) stimulation time 10 min (eGR-10, GR experimental group), (2) 10 min (cGR-10, sham control group) and (3) 20 min (eGR-20, GR experimental group). The following outcomes were assessed: muscle tone (T), stiffness (S), flexibility (E), pressure pain threshold (PPT), microvascular response (PU), and maximum isometric strength (Fmax). All measurements were performed before GR (rest) and after GR stimulation (post). RESULTS Both eGR-10 and eGR-20 significantly improved outcomes T (p<0.001), S (p<0.001), E (p=0.001, and p<0.001, respectively), PPT (p<0.001), PU (p<0.001), and Fmax (p<0.001). Notably, eGR-20 exhibited superior improvements in PU, Fmax, and PPT, with larger effect sizes (p<0.001). While eGR-10 demonstrated more pronounced reductions in T and S (p<0.001), these results underscore the potential for tailored GR therapy durations to optimize specific recovery goals for MMA athletes. CONCLUSIONS GR stimulation affects muscle biomechanical changes, pain threshold, muscle strength, and tissue perfusion. The study results suggest that 10 min of GR stimulation is sufficient to achieve changes that can be used to optimize recovery for MMA athletes.
Asunto(s)
Atletas , Antebrazo , Calor , Artes Marciales , Músculo Esquelético , Humanos , Masculino , Adulto , Músculo Esquelético/fisiología , Artes Marciales/fisiología , Antebrazo/fisiología , Fenómenos Biomecánicos , Femenino , Adulto Joven , Frío , Umbral del Dolor/fisiología , Fuerza Muscular/fisiologíaRESUMEN
Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters use their arms and hands for striking with the fists, grappling, and defensive techniques, which puts a high load on the forearms and hand muscles. New methods are needed to decrease the risk of injury and increase the effectiveness of regeneration. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of cryo-compression (CC) therapy of different times (3 and 6 min) on forearm muscles in MMA fighters by investigating muscle pain, stiffness, tension, elasticity strength, and perfusion. Twenty professional male MMA fighters aged 26.5 ± 4.5 years, with training experience of 10.3 ± 5.0 years, were enrolled on an experimental within-group study design. The participants underwent CC therapy at a temperature of 3 °C and compression of 75 mmHg for 3 min and, in the second session, for 6 min. The investigated parameters were in the following order: (1) perfusion in non-reference units (PU), (2) muscle tone (T-[Hz]), (3) stiffness (S-[N/m]), (4) elasticity (E-[arb]), (5) pressure pain threshold (PPT-[N/cm]), and (6) maximum isometric force (Fmax [kgf]) at two time points: (1) at rest-2 min before CC therapy (pre) and (2) 2 min after CC therapy (post). There were significant differences between 3 and 6 min of CC therapy for PU and T. Meanwhile, F, E, PPT, and S were significantly different when comparing pre- to post-conditions. These results provide evidence that CC therapy is a stimulus that significantly affects parameters characterizing muscle biomechanical properties, pain threshold, strength, and tissue perfusion.
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Abstract Introduction Intense physical activity and increased exercise significantly reduce the body's adaptive capacity, negatively affect the recovery processes of athletes, and can significantly impair athletic performance. Objective To identify how low temperatures can affect the regenerative processes in athletes, assess the effectiveness and feasibility of cold therapy in sports, and identify the key parameters that determine the effectiveness of the stated recovery method. Methods A systematic review of studies related to the use of cold therapy in sports guided by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, and reported through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The scientific material was selected by finding keywords and phrases, including "the effect of cold on athletes", "athletes' recovery", "cold therapy", etc. Following the selection criteria, only 30 studies were included. Results Cold exposure has significant benefits for sports regeneration, including pain relief (100%), inflammation reduction (93%), and restoration of sprint capabilities (89%). However, its impact on muscle strength (33%), endurance (11%), and lactate reduction (8%) is more limited. It moderately improves the psycho-emotional state (65-75%). Conclusion The use of low temperatures in sports has a beneficial effect on the recovery of sports performance for at least 24 hours after intense physical activity (training).
Resumo Introdução A atividade física intensa e o aumento do exer-cício reduzem significativamente a capacidade de adaptação do organismo, afetam negativamente os processos de recu-peração dos atletas e podem prejudicar significativamente o desempenho atlético. Objetivo Identificar como as baixas temperaturas podem afetar os processos regenerativos dos atletas, avaliar a eficácia e a viabilidade da terapia pelo frio no esorte e identificar os parâmetros-chave que determinam a eficácia do método de recuperação indicado. Métodos Revisão sistemática de estudos relacionados com a utilização da terapia pelo frio no esporte, orientada pelo Manual Cochrane para Revisões Sistemáticas de Intervenções e reportada através dos Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. O material científico foi selecionado através da pesquisa de palavras-chave e frases, incluindo "o efeito do frio nos atletas", "recuperação dos atletas", "terapia pelo frio", etc. Seguindo os critérios de seleção, foram incluídos apenas 30 estudos. Resultados A exposição ao frio tem benefícios significativos para a regeneração esportiva, incluindo o alívio da dor (100%), redução da inflamação (93%) e restauração das capacidades de sprint (89%). No entanto, o seu impacto na força muscular (33%), na resistência (11%) e na redução do lactato (8%) é mais limitado. Há uma melhora moderada sobre o estado psico-emocional (65-75%). Conclusão A utilização de baixas temperaturas no esporte tem um efeito benéfico na recuperação do desempenho esportivo durante pelo menos 24 horas após uma atividade física intensa (treino).