Clinical trial NCT07005934: Effects of Percussion Therapy on the Biomechanics of Pickleball Movement
Official title: Effects of Percussion Therapy on the Biomechanics of Pickleball Movement
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Injury;Sports
Muscle Soreness
Keywords: kinematics
kinetics
electromyography
Lead sponsor: Point Loma Nazarene University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Therabody, Inc.
First posted: 2025-06-05
Enrollment: 30
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 80
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: This cross-sectional trial involves a single visit with two sessions of data collection in which performance of each participant will be assessed before and after a treatment session.

* Test 1: passive range-of-motion (ROM) and 3D motion capture
* Intervention: control group (flexibility and stretching treatment); intervention (flexibility and stretching treatment with percussive therapy)
* Test 2: passive range-of-motion (ROM) and 3D motion capture
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: With increased demand on pickleball as a recreational exercise, it is of interest in investigating the biomechanical characteristics of pickleball and determining the impacts of percussion therapy on them. This study aims to examine the effects of percussion therapy on the biomechanics of pickleball movement and muscle activation patterns in recreational pickleball players. It is hypothesized that kinematics and kinetics of pickleball performance improves after 4 weeks of percussion therapy.

Detailed description: Pickleball has rapidly increasing its playing population among people with different ages and performance levels. While pickleball is keeping people of all age active, injury prevalence of recreational pickleball players particularly for elderly populations has rapidly become a great concern in health care in recent years. It is crucial not only for individuals who play the sports but also for sports medicine professionals to prevent injuries and assure wellbeing of pickleball players. Percussion therapy with a handheld massage gun has widely utilized both in clinical or sports settings and by individuals as a self-care device, allowing the treatment popular and accessible. While previous research has examined acute effects of percussion therapy, the impacts of percussion therapy on exercise performance are not yet fully understood mainly due to diverse designs, protocols, and qualities of previous studies. Moreover, little is known how biomechanical characteristics (i.e., joint kinematics and kinetics) of sports specific movements of pickleball are altered after the percussion therapy. With Increased demand on pickleball as a recreational exercise, it is of interest in investigating the biomechanical characteristics of pickleball and determining the impacts of percussion therapy on them. The proposed project aims to examine the effects of percussion therapy on the biomechanics of pickleball movement and muscle activation patterns in recreational pickleball players. It is hypothesized that kinematics and kinetics of pickleball performance improves as well as static joint range of motion (ROM) after the percussion therapy.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age range: 18 - 80 years old
* Free from injury in lower extremity for the last 6 months
* Plays pickleball regularly defined as self-reported participation on at least a weekly basis for a year or more

Exclusion Criteria:

\* Joint injury within previous 6 months

Primary outcomes:
measure: Passive hip flexion range-of-motion (ROM)
timeFrame: Cross-sectional design with two tests over a 30 minute period (before and after a 20 minute intervention session)
measure: Passive knee flexion range-of-motion (ROM)
timeFrame: Cross-sectional design with two tests over a 30 minute period (before and after a 20 minute intervention session)
measure: Peak hip extensor moment
timeFrame: Cross-sectional design with two tests over a 30 minute period (before and after a 20 minute intervention session)
measure: Peak hip abductor moment
timeFrame: Cross-sectional design with two tests over a 30 minute period (before and after a 20 minute intervention session)
measure: Peak knee extensor moment
timeFrame: Cross-sectional design with two tests over a 30 minute period (before and after a 20 minute intervention session)
measure: Peak knee abduction moment
timeFrame: Cross-sectional design with two tests over a 30 minute period (before and after a 20 minute intervention session)
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Peak quadriceps group activation intensity
timeFrame: Cross-sectional design with two tests over a 30 minute period (before and after a 20 minute intervention session)
measure: Peak lateral hamstrings group activation intensity
timeFrame: Cross-sectional design with two tests over a 30 minute period (before and after a 20 minute intervention session)
Other outcomes:
Locations:
Study officials:
References:
citation: Ates R, Yasar P, Baskurt F, Baskurt Z, Ercan S. A Comparison of the Acute Effects of Percussion Massage Therapy and Static Stretching on Hamstring Elasticity. Ethiop J Health Sci. 2023 Jul;33(4):695-702. doi: 10.4314/ejhs.v33i4.16.
citation: Azar FM, Lamplot JD, Bernholt DL, Spence DD. Pickleball: A Standard Review of Injury Prevalence and Prevention in a Rapidly Growing Sport. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2024 Nov 15;32(22):e1130-e1141. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-24-00151. Epub 2024 Jul 26.
citation: Alvarado F, Valenzuela KA, Finn A, Avila EL, Crussemeyer JA, Nakajima M. The Biomechanical Effects of Percussive Therapy Treatment on Jump Performance. Int J Exerc Sci. 2022 Jul 1;15(1):994-1006. doi: 10.70252/UIIY1243. eCollection 2022.
citation: Liu Z, Zhong Y, Maemichi T, Zhou Q, Okunuki T, Li Y, Kazuki W, Kumai T. Acute Effects of Local High-Frequency Percussive Massage on Deep Fascial and Muscular Stiffness and Joint Range of Motion in Young Adult Men. J Sport Rehabil. 2024 Mar 20;33(4):252-258. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2022-0455. Print 2024 May 1.
citation: Sams L, Langdown BL, Simons J, Vseteckova J. The Effect Of Percussive Therapy On Musculoskeletal Performance And Experiences Of Pain: A Systematic Literature Review. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2023 Apr 1;18(2):309-327. doi: 10.26603/001c.73795. eCollection 2023.