A comparitive study on cryo, pulsed ultrasound and its combination therapies on delayed onset of muscle soreness

Abstract

Objectives: Individuals engage in strenuous physical activity to which they are unaccustomed usually land up in a phenomenon called Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and results in pain, muscle stiffness and swelling. The current study was aimed to see the effect of cryo , ultrasound and its combination therapies on the reduction of symptoms of DOMS. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 subjects with the mean age of 22.1 ± 5.9 years participated in the study. Subjects were randomly allocated to three groups A, B and C (n=10) and induced DOMS by a standard exercise protocol. Each group received different treatment application i.e. ultrasound (US), cryotherapy (CT) and combination (C) of both. Study outcomes were measured by Perceived Muscle Soreness (PMS), Relaxed-Elbow flexion angle (rEFA), Plasma Creatine Kinase (CK) level at 0 hours (pre -exercise), 24hrs, 48hrs, 72hrs and at 92hrs. Results: All three groups showed improvement with respect to their interventions, whereas the C group, after 96 hours of post-exercise the rEFA return to its near normal range as compared to the other two groups. Although there was a rise in the plasma CK level in all three groups, however the C group was effective in minimizing the rising level of CK and also in the reduction of muscle soreness at successive time interval s and reaches to baseline after 96 hours of post -exercise. Conclusion: The combined application of cryotherapy and pulsed ultrasound immediately after exercise induced muscle damage is a better choice of treatment , It is also observed that cryotherapy was more effective than pulsed ultrasound alone treatment in reduction of symptoms.