Background: Caffeine is a well-established ergogenic aid, yet most experimental evidence is based on isolated caffeine, whereas habitual intake in both the general and physically active populations occurs mainly through coffee. This gap between experimental models and everyday practice complicates the interpretation of existing findings. Objective: This review compares coffee and isolated caffeine as ergogenic aids, focusing on biological mechanisms, methodological differences, tolerability, and context-dependent use in sport and exercise. Methods: A narrative review of human studies examining the effects of coffee and isolated caffeine on exercise performance, fatigue, and post-exercise recovery was conducted, with attention being paid to dosing accuracy, bioavailability, inter-individual variability, and the influence of the coffee matrix. Results: Isolated caffeine consistently improves performance under controlled conditions. Coffee can produce similar ergogenic effects, particularly in endurance exercise, although responses are more variable due to differences in caffeine content and individual sensitivity. Emerging evidence suggests that coffee, especially when consumed with carbohydrates, may support post-exercise glycogen resynthesis. Coffee also appears to be better tolerated by many individuals and provides additional bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Conclusions: Coffee and isolated caffeine should not be viewed as interchangeable ergogenic strategies. While isolated caffeine remains useful in experimental settings, coffee represents a more ecologically relevant and potentially safer source of caffeine in applied practice. Further direct comparative studies are needed to clarify their context-specific roles.

Reduced cardiorespiratory fitness is common among breast cancer survivors and, although traditionally attributed to cardiac dysfunction, might also be related to peripheral skeletal muscle abnormalities. We examined peak and submaximal plantar-flexion exercise and recovery kinetics for lower-leg oxygen uptake ( ), blood flow and arteriovenous O2 difference in 35 older, female long-term breast cancer survivors (age, 70±5years; 14±6 years post-treatment) and 19 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects using MRI. The calf intermuscular fat to skeletal muscle ratio was evaluated using fat- and water-separated MRI to quantify myosteatosis. No significant differences were found between groups for lower-leg , blood flow or arteriovenous O2 difference at peak or during submaximal plantar-flexion exercise. Recovery kinetics for these measures were similar between groups (all P>0.05). No differences were found in calf muscle mass between breast cancer survivors and control subjects. A higher intermuscular fat to skeletal muscle ratio was significantly associated with reduced peak (cycle exercise) pulmonary (r=-0.37, P=0.01), lower plantar-flexion power output (r=-0.325, P=0.012) and delayed muscle recovery kinetics in both groups (r=-0.325, P=0.015). Older, female long-term breast cancer survivors have comparable lower-limb skeletal muscle oxidative capacity to control subjects. However, myosteatosis represents a key determinant of exercise performance and recovery kinetics regardless of breast cancer history. Interventions targeting skeletal muscle quality might be effective in improving both submaximal and maximal exercise tolerance and recovery kinetics in older women with or without a breast cancer diagnosis.

Synergistic effects of high-intensity interval training and lactoferrin supplementation on bone growth in adolescent SD rats via TGF-β/BMP signaling.

Exercise is an effective lifestyle intervention for managing diabetes. It improves body composition, muscle strength, insulin sensitivity, and glycated hemoglobin levels. However, fluctuations in blood glucose during exercise can discourage participation among individuals with diabetes. The direction and extent of these changes depend on pre-exercise glucose levels, insulin dosage, medications, and exercise type, intensity, and duration. Aerobic exercise lowers glucose by enhancing insulin sensitivity for up to 72 hours post-activity, whereas resistance training may reduce the risk of exercise-induced hypoglycemia. During resistance exercise, catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) are released, stimulating hepatic glucose production, inhibiting peripheral glucose uptake, and increasing lactate formation through anaerobic glycolysis. Consequently, blood glucose may decrease only slightly or even rise transiently during and after exercise recovery. Resistance training enhances glucose regulation by promoting GLUT4 translocation and increasing muscle mass, leading to improved insulin sensitivity, reduced adiposity, and greater muscular strength. Individualized resistance training with proper glycemic monitoring is therefore an essential component of optimal diabetes management.

To improve performance at altitude some endurance athletes undergo exposure to hypoxic stimulus during post exercise recovery, but this may impact gene expression related to exercise adaptation. The purpose of this study is to determine a hypoxic threshold and its impact on gene expression related to oxygen sensing, metabolism, and mitochondrial dynamics. Ten male participants (24 ± 4 years, 47.1 ± 9.5 ml·kg− 1·min− 1 ) completed 4 trials at least 7 days apart. Each trial consisted of cycling for one hour at 70% of Wpeak in normoxia before recovering for 6 h in a simulated environment [0 m, 1,667 m, 3,333 m, and 5,000 m]. Muscle samples were collected from the vastus lateralis before exercise and after recovery. Pulse oxygen saturation (SPO2) was measured before exercise, during exercise, and during recovery. SPO2 lowered with increasing elevation (p < 0.001 for all trials). Gene expression of PGC-1α, HIF-1α, and HK increased following recovery from exercise (p = 0.048, p = 0.013, and p = 0.014), but there were no differences between trials (p > 0.05). No differences were observed for HIF-2α, PFK, FIS, MFN 2, and OPA (p > 0.05). Post aerobic exercise recovery at graded levels of simulated hypoxia does not affect the expression of genes related to oxygen sensing, metabolism, and mitochondrial dynamics, compared to normoxia.

This study examined the effect of competition stress on recovery time in female collegiate soccer players. Thirty NCAA Division I athletes were monitored over 35 consecutive days using Polar Team Pro wearable devices, which captured exercise duration, distance covered, energy expenditure, sprint count, speed, heart rate, training load, and recovery duration. Data were collected across 20 practices and 7 competitions, totaling 845 observations. Linear regression was used to assess whether formal competition independently influenced recovery duration, controlling for time of day and workload variables. Athletes averaged 20.1 ± 1.1 years of age. Across all sessions, the mean exercise duration was 59.5 ± 38.7 min, with an average distance of 2.6 ± 2.1 km, and energy expenditure of 387.2 ± 283.5 kcals. Recovery duration was significantly longer after competition (51.3 ± 59.6 h) compared to practice (13.0 ± 15.8 h, p < 0.001). The regression model indicated that formal competition predicted an additional 51 h of recovery time (β = 50.540; p < 0.001), independent of physical workload. Recovery following formal competition is significantly prolonged, holding multiple components of workload constant. These findings offer novel insights into female athlete recovery and highlight the importance of sex-specific approaches in sports science.

IntroductionAnxiety is a key psychological factor in competitive sport that interacts with physiological stress responses. By modulating neuroendocrine and neurotransmitter activity, it may influence how athletes adapt to maximal effort and recover afterward. The study addressed the gap in understanding how pre-exercise anxiety affects the recovery dynamics of these responses in elite endurance athletes.Materials and methodsSixteen highly trained male rowers performed a standardized 2000-m maximal ergometer test and were classified into Low (n = 8) and High anxiety (n = 8) groups based on pre-exercise Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT; low <25, high ≥25) scores using established interpretive guidelines. Venous blood was collected before, immediately after, 1 h, and 24 h post-exercise. Serum cortisol, testosterone, serotonin, dopamine, β-endorphin, anandamide (AEA), and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) were analyzed. Testosterone-to-cortisol (T/C) and serotonin-to-dopamine (S/D) ratios were calculated as indices of anabolic-catabolic balance and serotonergic-dopaminergic regulation.ResultsCortisol increased post-exercise in both groups and remained elevated at 24 h, with prolonged elevation in the High anxiety group (+17.9% vs. +7.8%; p = 0.03). Testosterone peaked at 1 h, with a larger rise in the High anxiety group (+42.2% vs. +31.5%; p = 0.02). β-endorphin increased post-exercise in both groups (p < 0.01). Serotonin remained higher and dopamine recovered more slowly in the High anxiety group (p < 0.05). Performance time during the 2000-m test was comparable between groups.ConclusionAnxiety level measured before maximal rowing was associated with distinct endocrine and neuromodulatory response patterns, indicating greater internal load despite similar external performance. These findings may support individualized recovery strategies in high-performance sport. The sample size and elite-athlete characteristics may limit the broader applicability of the findings.

Myokine IL-6 activity enhances post-exercise fatty acid accumulation in skeletal muscle but does not affect glycogen resynthesis

The heart rate response/recovery (HRR) index, a common indicator for cardiovascular health during exercise, has been linked with neurocognitive disorders and mortality. However, the relationship between HRR index and dementia remains unknown. Electrocardiogram data from 46,348 middle-aged and older adults from the UK Biobank were analyzed following a standardized submaximal exercise stress test (15-second baseline, 6-minute exercise, and 1-minute recovery). The HRR index was calculated as the product of heart rate responses ratio during exercise (peak/resting heart rate) and recovery ratio (peak/recovery heart rate). We found that 519 participants were ascertained with dementia, including 232 with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and 85 with vascular dementia (VaD) during a median follow-up period of 12.62 years. Higher HRR index and recovery ratio were significantly associated with a reduced risk of all-cause dementia (HR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.54–0.94, P = 0.017; HR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.57–0.99, P = 0.018), but not with incident AD or VaD, respectively. In addition, higher HRR index was significantly correlated with slower cognitive decline in processing speed, reasoning, and memory (β:2.39, 95% CI: 0.28–4.49, P = 0.027; β: 2.12, 95% CI: 0.26-4.00, P = 0.027; β: 0.03, 95% CI: 0.02–0.05, P < 0.001), while the recovery ratio was significantly correlated with slower cognitive decline in reasoning and memory (β: 1.91, 95% CI: 0.04–3.79, P = 0.045; β: 0.03, 95% CI: 0.01–0.04, P < 0.001). Higher HRR index and recovery ratios are associated with a decreased risk of incident dementia and appear to have beneficial effects on delaying cognitive decline. The possible mechanisms for this may involve autonomic function and neurovascular health.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-22299-2.

BackgroundHorses competing in eventing competitions encounter significant challenges that increase their risk of severe injuries and metabolic disorders. Numerous studies have focused on the risk of such injuries and disorders during the cross-country segment. While one study has examined autonomic responses during this segment, research on these responses across all three phases of competition, particularly during one-day events, is still limited. The objective of this study was to analyse the autonomic responses of horses by measuring heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) during three exercise tests and their recovery while competing in the Fédération Équestre Internationale Eventing World Challenge. HR and HRV were monitored in 10 horses during the competition; however, data were collected from only nine horses, as one was eliminated.ResultsBeat-to-beat (RR) interval decreased from control (1742 ± 202.3 ms) during dressage (D), jumping (J) and cross-country (CC) tests, lasting 60 min after cross-country (60-CC) (D: 594.6 ± 40.2 ms, J: 420.6 ± 94.5 ms, CC: 358.0 ± 66.9 ms and 60-CC: 1424.2 ± 98.3 ms vs. control: 1742.0 ± 202.3 ms, p < 0.05–0.001). HR increased during the exercise tests, extending to 60-CC (D: 101.4 ± 7.0 beats/min, J: 148.2 ± 30.5 beats/min, CC: 172.0 ± 27.0 beats/min and 60-CC: 42.2 ± 3.0 beats/min vs. control: 34.8 ± 3.7 beats/min, p < 0.05–0.001). Various HRV metrics were lower during J than D, including standard deviation of normal-to-normal RR interval (D: 25.4 ± 9.1 ms vs. J: 9.8 ± 6.2 ms, p < 0.01), total power band (D: 512.4 ± 261 ms2 vs. J: 126.8 ± 180.4 ms2, p < 0.05) and standard deviation 2 (D: 35.0 ± 12.5 ms vs. J: 13.4 ± 8.9 ms, p < 0.01). Changes in the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system indices corresponded with RR interval and HR modifications, respectively.ConclusionsThe study found that autonomic responses were significantly pronounced during three exercise tests, with notably stronger reactions observed during the jumping and cross-country segments of the Eventing World Challenge. This preliminary study provides valuable insight into the autonomic regulation of horses during these phases of one-day eventing competitions.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12917-025-05090-3.

Roasted coffee's bioactive compounds may affect human glucose metabolism. This pilot clinical trial investigated the impact of coffee roast level, coffee timing, and carbohydrate (CHO) type on blood glucose responses. Healthy participants (15 female and 4 male) completed this six-week, randomized, single-blinded study. Treatments comprised combinations of roast levels (light, medium, or dark), coffee timings (pre-, co-, or post-CHO ingestion), and CHO types: oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) beverages or a standardized breakfast designated as PreO, PreB, CoO, CoB, PostO, and PostB. Subjects consumed 300 mL of test beverages and provided 10 capillary blood samples over 4 h. Coffees were analyzed for caffeine, 3, 4, and 5 chlorogenic acids (CGA), trigonelline, total phenols, color, °Brix, and total dissolved solids (TDS). Significant (p < 0.05) differences in 3CQA, 5CQA, and trigonelline, but not caffeine and 4CQA, were observed across roast levels. Prior to CHO, coffee did not increase blood glucose, but potentiated increases after CHO. PreO and PreB treatments produced the highest peak glucose values (160 mg/dL). This was not observed for co- or posttreatments. In the CoO combination, AUC values were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than placebo only for medium roast. In posttreatments, peak glucose levels were higher following OGTT than breakfast, but AUCs did not differ. Light roast coffee yielded the lowest AUC for PreO and the highest peak at 3 h in the CoO combination. Medium roast resulted in the lowest AUC across all time points in CoO, while both medium and dark roasts elevated AUC in PreO. Only dark roast increased AUC in the PreB condition. Three AUC main effects (CHO type, coffee roast, and timing) and two interactions (timing × roast; timing × CHO × roast) were highly significant (p < 0.002). These findings may benefit those desiring temporary blood glucose elevations for exercise performance and recovery versus those seeking to moderate glucose.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05119153

BackgroundWe investigated whether fascia knife release therapy combined with exercise for treating neck and shoulder pain administered over a period of 12 weeks enhanced the visual analog scale (VAS), cervical muscle endurance test (CMET) score and neck disability index (NDI) score in adolescent table tennis players.MethodsThis study adopted a prospective, exploratory design with a small sample size. The sample size was determined on the basis of the minimum requirements suggested by the relevant literature and feasibility considerations. Accounting for a potential 10% attrition rate, the study ultimately enrolled 40 adolescent table tennis players who were randomized to a control group or treatment group during the recovery period at the Anhui Sports Rehabilitation Clinic (Hefei, Anhui, China) in 2024. The subjects were divided into a medication group (n = 20, control group; CON) and a fascia knife release therapy combined with exercise group (n = 20, experimental group; EXP). A recovery exercise was applied to the control group for 12 weeks, whereas fascia knife release therapy combined with exercise was applied to the treatment group within the recovery empty period. The visual analog scale (VAS), cervical muscle endurance test (CMET) and neck disability index (NDI) were used to assess recovery before and after 12 weeks.ResultsComparisons of the visual analog scale (p = 0.854), cervical muscle endurance test (p = 0.393) and neck disability indices (p = 0.828) scores revealed no statistically significant differences between the CON group and the EXP group before the intervention. Compared with the control group, the EXP group presented significantly lower VAS (p = 0.001) and NDI (p = 0.001) scores following 12 weeks of fascia knife release therapy combined with exercise. There was a statistically significant increase in CMET in the treatment group (p = 0.001) compared with that in the CON group.ConclusionFascia knife release therapy combined with functional exercise enhances cervical muscle endurance (CMET) while significantly reducing pain (VAS) and functional disability (NDI) in adolescent table tennis players with neck and shoulder pain. Thus, this combined approach not only addresses immediate symptoms but also strengthens the muscles around the neck and shoulders, providing improved support and stability.

Background: L-arginine is a conditionally essential amino acid that serves as a substrate for nitric oxide synthase and regulates energy metabolism. While its ergogenic effects have been proposed, the mechanisms underlying its anti-fatigue properties are not fully understood. Methods: Male ICR mice were orally administered L-arginine (300, 600, or 1200 mg/kg bw/day) for 28 days. Fatigue was chronically induced using twice-weekly forced swimming or treadmill running, and fatigue resistance was then assessed under these paradigms. Blood, skeletal muscle, and liver were analyzed for biomarkers including glucose, lactate, LDH, CPK, NEFA, ammonia, glycogen, nitric oxide, cortisol, and antioxidant enzymes. In parallel, C2C12 myoblasts were treated with L-arginine under proliferative and differentiated conditions to assess hexokinase (HK) activity, myogenin expression, and ROS generation. Results: In vivo, L-arginine decreased serum LDH, CPK, NEFA, ammonia, nitric oxide, and cortisol, while enhancing blood glucose and glycogen storage in both muscle and liver. Forced swimming reduced serum lactate, whereas treadmill exercise elevated intramuscular lactate, suggesting context-dependent lactate regulation. Importantly, L-arginine did not significantly improve forced-swimming immobility time, whereas treadmill time-to-exhaustion increased at the highest dose. Antioxidant responses were improved, as reflected by normalized hepatic catalase activity. In vitro, L-arginine increased HK activity, promoted myogenin expression, and reduced ROS levels, supporting improved glucose utilization, muscle differentiation, and oxidative stress resistance. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that L-arginine supplementation under chronic fatigue-inducing paradigms improves endurance and alleviates fatigue by enhancing energy metabolism, preserving glycogen, reducing muscle injury, and attenuating oxidative stress. L-arginine shows potential as a functional ingredient for promoting exercise performance and recovery.

Augmented reality, also known as AR, supplements reality by allowing the user to experience computer-generated graphics as though they appear in the real world. This literature review’s goal is to present a collection of data on AR-based exercise and rehabilitation applications. This literature review also aims to identify gaps within the existing research. The method of PRISMA was applied to systematic reviews for relevant articles published between 2017 and 2025. The databases include Academic Search Ultimate, British Library Serials, MEDLINE, and ProQuest Central. The results from the literature found that AR for rehabilitation could help patients physically and mentally and improve their motivation and engagement. Different types of AR tools were used to help with the rehabilitation of patients with health issues such as knee injuries or stroke. Questionnaires and medical tests were the common methods to gather data from the patients. AR rehabilitation technology may be able to bring a new form of human-computer interaction for patients.

Post-exercise oxygen uptake recovery (VO2Rec) is slow in advanced heart failure. We sought to establish easily derived VO2Rec measures and evaluate their cardiospecificity and prognostic relevance in patients with dyspnea on exertion. We further sought to determine VO2Rec modifiability proportional to changes in cardiac function with disease-specific treatment of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. VO2Rec patterns were evaluated in relation to cardiac performance and the primary outcome of heart failure hospitalization or death in a referral cohort with dyspnea on exertion undergoing cardiopulmonary exercise testing with hemodynamic monitoring (MGH-ExS [Massachusetts General Hospital Exercise Study]). We then investigated longitudinal measures of VO2Rec in the pivotal phase 3 randomized controlled trial SEQUOIA-HCM (Safety, Efficacy, and Quantitative Understanding of Obstruction Impact of Aficamten in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy) of aficamten versus placebo for 24 weeks in participants with symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. For both cohorts, VO2Rec was uniformly measured as time for VO2 to decline by >0%, 12.5% (VO2T12.5%), 25%, and 50% of peak VO2. Among 814 MGH-ExS patients (58±16 years of age, 58% women), those with a longer VO2T12.5% (≥35 versus <35 seconds) demonstrated elevated exercise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure to cardiac output slope (P<0.0001) with no difference in peripheral oxygen extraction (P=0.11). For each 15-second increase in VO2T12.5%, the hazard ratio for heart failure hospitalization and all-cause death was 1.54 (95% CI, 1.35-1.76; P<0.001). In SEQUOIA-HCM participants with cardiopulmonary exercise testing at baseline and week 24 (n=263, 59.1±2.9 years of age, 41% women), baseline VO2T12.5% was 45±20 seconds and improved 8 seconds (95% CI, -12 to -5 seconds; P<0.001) with aficamten treatment compared with placebo at 24 weeks. Participants treated with aficamten versus placebo were more likely to improve VO2T12.5% by ≥15 seconds (odds ratio [OR], 3.7 [95% CI, 1.9-6.9]; number needed to treat=4.8). Shortening of VO2T12.5% correlated with reduced NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide), high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I, and left ventricular outflow tract gradient (all P<0.005). This study established VO2T12.5% as a new measure that reflects cardiac performance during exercise and predicted heart failure event-free survival. Furthermore, VO2T12.5% improved proportional to improvements in left ventricular outflow tract gradient and cardiac biomarkers in response to aficamten treatment, a cardiospecific therapy for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The simplicity and physiological relevance of VO2T12.5% support its regular inclusion in cardiopulmonary exercise testing protocols evaluating cardiac function during exercise. URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT05186818.

Abstract Trace minerals are fundamental for maintaining health across all animal species. With their vital roles in cellular integrity, structural support, and enzymatic processes, these minerals directly influence multiple physiological processes, including aging, growth, skin and coat health, mobility, immunity, and overall health and well-being. However, the limited data on proper trace mineral nutrition in pets compared to other species, leads to industry-wide knowledge gaps. Trace minerals are typically added through premixes that are rarely updated, adjusted, or differentiated beyond basic dog and cat categories. This approach can result in commercial pet foods containing inadequate or excessive amounts of trace minerals. Increased understanding of how a strategic trace mineral program influences long-term pet health and can empower the industry to provide pet owners greater nutrition options promoting overall pet wellness and longevity. Maintaining adequate supplementation is further complicated by the source of trace minerals which affect absorption and bio-efficacy. Companion animal diets are typically formulated with either inorganic, organic, or a combination of trace mineral sources. Inorganic sources are often less bioavailable and less efficiently utilized, while organic trace minerals are generally considered more bioavailable. Organic trace minerals, defined as trace metals chelated to carbon-containing molecules such as amino acids or hydrolyzed proteins, have distinct differences depending on chelating agents and production methods which effect properties such as pH and stability. Understanding the efficacy of specific organic trace minerals to meet the nutritional requirements for the health and longevity of dogs and cats is essential. Trace mineral efficacy can be evaluated by relative bioavailability and phenotypic responses to dietary inclusion. For example, the commercially available amino acid-complexed trace mineral sources from Zinpro Corp. (Eden Prairie, MN) are formulated to provide a 1:1 ratio of mineral to amino acids, utilizing the amino acid transport system for absorption and metabolism. These minerals remain in circulation longer, allowing for more complete systemic delivery. Research on these specific minerals has begun to elucidate their impact on pet nutrition and health. Studies in senior, adult, and growing dogs and adult cats have shown direct phenotypic benefits related to skin and coat health, stress management, mobility, and exercise recovery. This work has also provided insights into proper supplementation levels, thus advancing industry knowledge and revealing the opportunity to improve the lives of pets through an effective trace mineral program.

ABSTRACT Athletes often use cold water immersion (CWI) to enhance responses to exercise and speed recovery. Much less is known about practice and environmental characteristics, perceived benefits and risks, and adverse experiences of CWI in healthy adults in a recreation setting and if these factors differ by sex. Members of the CWI communities completed a 118-item survey. Caucasian males (n = 66, age: 46y) and females (n = 27, age: 49y) were healthy, highly educated, and physically active. Primary aim to pursue CWI was to improve general health, mental health, and fitness. Participants engaged in CWI 1–3 times per week (55%), with sessions lasting either 5 min (40%) or 6–40 min (60%) in water temperatures ranging from 5–15 °C (90%). Men reported higher pain during CWI than women; however, participants generally rated the perceived risks associated with CWI as very low and reported no adverse events. The current data expands existing laboratory data in healthy middle-aged adults using CWI recreationally and suggest that these individuals can continue to use CWI safely for improved physical and mental function.

Does Kinesio Taping Improve Exercise Performance And Recovery In Hot Conditions?

The only whey to recover: protein-carbohydrate co-ingestion for endurance exercise recovery.

Background/Objectives. Despite growing interest in capacitive-resistive electric transfer TECAR) and Vibration therapy (VT), their comparative effectiveness in sports recovery remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate and contrast the short-term effects of TECAR and VT on neuromuscular recovery following eccentric muscle fatigue, relative to passive rest, in active young adults. We hypothesized that both interventions would accelerate recovery and potentially reduce injury risk. Methods. Forty-one participants were randomized into two groups: TECAR therapy (Group 1) and VT (Group 2). Neuromuscular function was assessed at baseline, post-exercise, and post-intervention using tensiomyography (TMG) and electromyography (EMG). Results. Both groups showed a significant increase in EMG MDF intercept after exercise. Post-intervention, VT induced a further rise in this parameter, whereas TECAR stabilized values without significant change. In the contralateral resting limb, increases persisted after exercise and passive recovery. Between-limb differences were significant only in the TECAR group. TMG analysis revealed a non-significant but large-effect increase in contraction delay (Td) post-exercise, followed by significant reductions after both interventions. In the left limb, Td changes were not significant. For maximal displacement (Dm), both VMO and VLO muscles demonstrated a significant decrease post-exercise and a marked recovery after both therapies. Other TMG parameters (Ts, Tc, Tr) showed no significant changes. Conclusions. Both TECAR and VT effectively enhanced neuromuscular recovery after eccentric exercise. TECAR demonstrated a modest but consistent advantage, particularly in normalizing muscle recruitment and restoring mechanical properties, making it suitable in contexts requiring rapid recovery. VT, however, remains a more accessible and cost-effective modality. These findings support the application of both techniques in sports recovery, while highlighting the need for further research in professional athletes and diverse exercise settings to optimize regeneration strategies and reduce injury risk.