Clinical trial NCT06789120: Acute Effects of Instrument-assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization in Football Players
Official title: Acute Effects of Instrument-assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization on the Flexibility, Strength, Vertical Jump, and Dynamic Balance Performances of the Plantar Flexor Muscle in Professional Football Players.
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Myofascial Pain
Keywords: Myofascial release
plantar flexors
Soccer player
Balance
Lead sponsor: Karabuk University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey
First posted: 2025-01-23
Enrollment: 40
Sex: MALE
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 30
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: For professional footboll players, the balance, jumping, and performance capabilities of the plantar flexor muscle group are crucial on the field. Performance-enhancing interventions for these muscles are essential for improving player performance, preventing injuries, and accelerating the rehabilitation process. limitations and myofascial problems often occur in these muscles due to overuse and fatigue. Graston technique (GT), one of the instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization techniques (IASTM), is thought to be an effective method in sports rehabilitation by accelerating relaxation and blood flow. However, this situation has not been adequately examined in the literature. Therefore, we think that the results of this study will provide an important perspective to the literature.

Detailed description: The plantar flexors (PF) and the ankle joint are of great importance as they play an essential role in generating force on the ground. The ankle PF is the primary structure where energy is stored and released during movement and is the primary source of forward propulsion. This constitutes an important source of power for soccer players. Ankle flexibility is linked to dynamic balance capacity, which influences important elements such as speed, kick accuracy, ball control and agility. Muscle tension, myofascia and reduced range of motion (ROM) are frequently observed in team sports such as soccer, which increases the frequency of muscle injuries. Studies have shown that movement efficiency is reduced when movement is restricted in both the lower and upper limbs. Therefore, preservation and restoration of ROM is important to minimize injuries and improve performance, and myofascial release is often used in this context. Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization-Graston Technique (IASTM-GT) entails repetitive mechanical stimulation, including compression and shear stress applied to soft tissues such as muscles, deep fascia and tendons. It facilitates the healing process by creating microtrauma, disrupting collagen connections, increasing blood circulation and promoting cellular regeneration.Numerous studies have extensively investigated the flexibility effect of Graston Technique (GT) on athletes, particularly by improving ROM and accelerating the recovery process in key muscle groups such as the thighs, quadriceps and plantar flexors (PF). However, the evidence is not clear on how GT specifically affects the function of the PF muscle and its implications on the performance and health of football players. The effectiveness of facial mobilization in football players may be important for improving athlete performance and injury prevention. The results of this study may guide healthcare professionals by providing information about the effectiveness of these non-invasive techniques in athlete performance, treatment and rehabilitation process in clinical practice. In this context, the aim of this study was to investigate the acute effect of fascial release applied to the PF muscles on ROM, jumping ability and muscle strength.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Healthy professional male football players

Exclusion Criteria:

* Having a medical history of chronic disease (cardiopulmonary, neurological, thyroid gland diseases)
* Having acute musculoskeletal system problems
* No disability or surgical intervention in the lower extremity in the last year.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Range of motion
timeFrame: baseline, immediately after the intervention
measure: Muscle strength
timeFrame: baseline, immediately after the intervention
measure: Balance
timeFrame: baseline, immediately after the intervention
measure: Jump Performance
timeFrame: baseline, immediately after the intervention
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Karabük
country: Turkey
facility: Karabük University
state: Karabuk
city: Karabük
country: Turkey
facility: Karabük University
Study officials:
affiliation: Karabuk University
name: Metehan Yana, PhD
role: STUDY_CHAIR
References:
citation: Vardiman JP, Siedlik J, Herda T, Hawkins W, Cooper M, Graham ZA, Deckert J, Gallagher P. Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization: effects on the properties of human plantar flexors. Int J Sports Med. 2015 Mar;36(3):197-203. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1384543. Epub 2014 Oct 27.
citation: Laudner K, Compton BD, McLoda TA, Walters CM. Acute effects of instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization for improving posterior shoulder range of motion in collegiate baseball players. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2014 Feb;9(1):1-7.
citation: Nazary-Moghadam S, Yahya-Zadeh A, Zare MA, Ali Mohammadi M, Marouzi P, Zeinalzadeh A. Comparison of utilizing modified hold-relax, muscle energy technique, and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization on hamstring muscle length in healthy athletes: Randomized controlled trial. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2023 Jul;35:151-157. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2023.04.079. Epub 2023 Apr 21.