Clinical trial NCT02588768: Photobiomodulation Therapy in a Field Test With High-level Rugby Players
Official title: Phototherapy (With a Combination of Super-pulsed Laser and LEDs) in a Field Test With High-level Rugby Players
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: High-level Rugby Athletes
Performance
Recovery
Keywords: Low-level laser therapy
Light emitting diodes
Rugby
Field test
Photobiomodulation
Lead sponsor: University of Nove de Julho
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Multi Radiance Medical
name: São José Rugby Club
First posted: 2015-10-28
Enrollment: 12
Sex: MALE
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 35
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Primary purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Brief summary: Background/Aim: While growing evidence supports the use of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) for performance and recovery enhancement, there have only been laboratory-controlled studies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the effects of PBMT in performance and recovery of high-level rugby players during an anaerobic field test.

Methods: It is a randomized, crossover, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Twelve male high-level rugby athletes were recruited in this study. No intervention was performed before the Bangsbo Sprint Test (BST) at familiarization phase (week 1). At weeks 2 and 3, pre-exercise PBMT or placebo were randomly applied to each athlete. PBMT/placebo irradiation was performed at 17 sites of each lower limb, employing a cluster with 12 diodes (4 laser diodes of 905nm, 4 LED diodes of 875nm, and 4 LED diodes of 640nm, 30J per site - manufactured by Multi Radiance Medical™). Average time of sprints, best time of sprints, and fatigue index were obtained from BST. Blood lactate levels were assessed at baseline, and at 3, 10, 30 and 60 minutes after BST. Athletes' perceived fatigue was also assessed through a questionnaire.

Detailed description: All exercise tests were conducted in an enclosed soccer/rugby field. The three test phases, administered one week apart, were performed on the same day of the week (Tuesday) and time (1-5pm). The average temperature inside the building during the trials ranged from 26°C to 28°C. At first stage (exercise test 1) all athletes performed the Bangsbo Sprint Test (BST) to familiarization with the procedure. No interventions or comparators were applied before this test. However, at the second and third stages (exercise tests 2 and 3, respectively) either a placebo or active PBMT was applied according to randomization. Blood samples were collected from the athlete's fingertips prior to stretching and warming-up (baseline), and at 3, 10, 30 and 60 minutes after BST at each of the three study stages/phase (exercise tests). After blood sample collection (to establish baseline), a warm-up comprised of low-intensity activities such as dynamic stretches and low-intensity short running were performed by each athlete. Following the warm-up and cool down period, either the active or placebo comparator was applied to the athlete according to the randomization procedure for the second test. For the third test, the other comparator was utilized to complete the cross over design. A quick perception of fatigue survey was administered following each test.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* high-level athletes from São José Rugby Club (Brazil)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Athlete would be excluded if the participant presented any skeletal muscle injury
* if athlete took any nutritional supplement or pharmacological agent
* if the athlete presented signs and symptoms of any disease (i.e., neurological, inflammatory, pulmonary, metabolic, oncologic), and
* if the athlete had history of cardiac arrest that could limit performance of high-intensity exercises

Primary outcomes:
measure: Bangsbo Sprint Test (BST) - Average Time (sec)
timeFrame: The test was performed for three weeks, once a week, on the same day and time of the week.
measure: Bangsbo Sprint Test (BST) - Best Time (sec)
timeFrame: The test was performed for three weeks, once a week, on the same day and time of the week.
measure: Bangsbo Sprint Test (BST) - Fatigue Index (%)
timeFrame: The test was performed for three weeks, once a week, on the same day and time of the week.
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Questionnaire of fatigue
timeFrame: This questionnaire was answered for the participants in the last day of the tests, so, at the end of the third week of the tests.
measure: Blood Lactate analysis
timeFrame: Blood sample was collected in the three phases of the study (three weeks, once a week) at 3, 10, 30 and 60 minutes after BST.
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: São Paulo
country: Brazil
facility: Universidade Nove de Julho
state: SP
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Nove de Julho
name: Ernesto Cesar P Leal-Junior, PhD, PT
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Antonialli FC, De Marchi T, Tomazoni SS, Vanin AA, dos Santos Grandinetti V, de Paiva PR, Pinto HD, Miranda EF, de Tarso Camillo de Carvalho P, Leal-Junior EC. Phototherapy in skeletal muscle performance and recovery after exercise: effect of combination of super-pulsed laser and light-emitting diodes. Lasers Med Sci. 2014 Nov;29(6):1967-76. doi: 10.1007/s10103-014-1611-7. Epub 2014 Jun 19.
citation: Albuquerque-Pontes GM, Vieira RP, Tomazoni SS, Caires CO, Nemeth V, Vanin AA, Santos LA, Pinto HD, Marcos RL, Bjordal JM, de Carvalho Pde T, Leal-Junior EC. Effect of pre-irradiation with different doses, wavelengths, and application intervals of low-level laser therapy on cytochrome c oxidase activity in intact skeletal muscle of rats. Lasers Med Sci. 2015 Jan;30(1):59-66. doi: 10.1007/s10103-014-1616-2. Epub 2014 Jun 24.
citation: Wragg CB, Maxwell NS, Doust JH. Evaluation of the reliability and validity of a soccer-specific field test of repeated sprint ability. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2000 Sep;83(1):77-83. doi: 10.1007/s004210000246.
citation: Johnston RD, Gabbett TJ, Jenkins DG. Applied sport science of rugby league. Sports Med. 2014 Aug;44(8):1087-100. doi: 10.1007/s40279-014-0190-x.