Effects of Different Kinesio-Taping Applications for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness after High-Intensity Interval Training Exercise: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Bao-Lien Hung,Chen-Yu Sun,Nai-Jen Chang,Wen-Dien Chang,Maruti Ram Gudavalli

doi:10.1155/2021/6676967

Abstract

Objectives Kinesio-taping (KT) is used commonly for the management and prevention of sports injuries. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a common muscle strength training and often accompanies delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) to interfere with individuals' exercise adherence. So, we compared the effects on muscle pain, thigh edema, and muscle strength for two kinds of KT applications on quadriceps muscles with DOMS after HIIT exercise. Methods This is a randomized controlled trial study, which was conducted in a sports medicine laboratory of the college, and all data were collected between February 2019 and February 2020. Healthy participants were recruited from a local university and nearby community by announcements. They were randomly assigned to Group Y (Y-shaped KT application), Group CC (crisscross weave KT application), or Group CON (non-KT). All of them were assessed and used KT following the HIIT exercise, which was used to induce DOMS in the quadriceps muscles. Two different KT applications were, respectively, used in Groups Y and CC, whereas Group CON received no KT application. The visual analog scale (VAS), pressure pain threshold (PPT), thigh circumference, and muscle strength were assessed on the quadriceps femoris muscles before, immediately after, and at 24, 48, and 72 h after exercise. Results A total of 38 participants completed the study trial. There were no significant differences in gender, age, height, weight, BMI, body fat, and muscle mass among the three groups (p > 0.05). HIIT had a significant impact on muscle soreness, as revealed by the increase in VAS at 24 h after exercise. The results revealed no effect on VAS, PPT, and thigh circumference in Group Y and Group CC (all p > 0.05). Additionally, muscle strength was significantly higher in Group CC at 24 h and 48 h after exercise compared with Groups Y and Group CON (p < 0.05). Conclusion In summary, this experiment reveals no evidence of the effectiveness of Y-shaped and crisscross weave KT applications in the improvement of DOMS pain and edema in the quadriceps muscle. However, the crisscross weave KT application on the quadriceps muscle improved muscle strength recovery after HIIT, but the Y-shaped KT application did not exert this effect. This finding may be useful for muscle strength recovery during HIIT or continuous running competitions.

Highlights

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is characterized and defined by muscle soreness and discomfort, which occurs within 24 h and typically peaks 24 to 48 h after strenuous exercise [1]
Our results indicated that recovery from muscle soreness occurred at 48 h after DOMS induction, but visual analog scale (VAS) scores did not have a significant difference between both types of KT applications on the quadriceps femoris muscle
Kirmizigil reported that the KT application was favorable in muscle soreness recovery from DOMS but did not exhibit a significant effect on VAS scores compared with the non-KT group [31]. e VAS is a subjective and self-report measurement for muscle pain and has measure variability, due to differences in an individual’s perception of pain intensity [19]. e pressure pain threshold (PPT) is used to measure muscle pain recovery after DOMS in the current study, and pressure algometry is a type of high validity and reliability tool [32]

Summary

Introduction

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is characterized and defined by muscle soreness and discomfort, which occurs within 24 h and typically peaks 24 to 48 h after strenuous exercise [1]. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is the common strenuous exercise to induce DOMS because the exercise process was paired with muscle damage response, resulting in the decrease of muscle strength and increase of muscle soreness [2]. Wiewelhove et al indicted that HITT could induce muscle fatigued and sarcomere length redistribution, resulting in the decrease of metabolism and increase of muscle soreness of DOMS [2]. Effective interventions to alleviate the symptoms of DOMS may have positive benefits for the sports population. E recovery methods for DOMS are to increase blood flow, improve proprioception to reduce muscle soreness, and eliminate edema associated with fatigued muscle [6, 7]. That is, massage, cryotherapy, and stretching, have been used to alleviate the symptoms of DOMS, but small effect size or no evidence has been used to support the positive use of these methods for DOMS [8]

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