Acute Effect of Photobiomodulation Therapy on Muscle Performance in Female Futsal Players

January 7, 2026 updated by: Andreo Fernando Aguiar, Universidade Norte do Paraná

Acute Dose-response Effect of Photobiomodulation Therapy on Muscle Performance in Female Futsal Players: a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Crossover Study

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has recently been indicated as a potential therapeutic strategy in diverse health and sports contexts. However, its efficacy on muscle performance in female futsal players remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dose-response effect of PBMT on muscle performance in female futsal players.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Background: Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has recently been indicated as a potential therapeutic strategy in diverse health and sports contexts. However, its efficacy on muscle performance in female futsal players remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate the dose-response effect of PBMT on muscle performance in female futsal players. Methods: In a crossover design, fifteen female futsal athletes (age: 18-30 years) will be randomized to receive 1 of 4 PBMT conditions (placebo, 300, 900, and 1260 joules [J]) on four occasions, separated by a 2-wk washout period. PBMT treatments will be applied on the quadriceps muscle of both legs using a device containing 200 light-emitting diodes (LEDs), immediately before the following tests (dependent variables): countermovement jump (CMJ) (i.e., flight time as indicator of muscle power), maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) for the leg extension exercise (i.e., muscle strength), and 3 sets of repetitions-to-failure (i.e., local muscular endurance) for the 45º leg press exercise, with recording of rating of perceived exertion (RPE) after each set. The fatigue index will be determined by the number of repetitions between sets 1 and 3. Statistical analyses will be performe using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows (version 24.0; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Data will be tested for normality and homogeneity using the Shapiro-Wilk's and Levene's tests, respectively. One-way ANOVA tests will be performed to evaluate the differences in the fatigue index, flight time, and peak and mean torque between the treatment conditions (placebo, 300, 900, and 1260 J). Changes over time and between treatment conditions in maximum number of repetitions and RPE will be analyzed with two-way repeated measures ANOVA. Violation of sphericity was corrected using the Greenhouse-Geisser method. When significant differences will be confirmed with the ANOVA, multiple comparison testing will be performed using the Bonferroni post hoc correction to identify these differences. Values will be expressed as mean (standard deviation and 95% confidence interval). The significance level was set at p < 0.05.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

15

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Brazil
    • Paraná
      • Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, 86.041-140
        • Universidade Norte do Paraná

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age between 18 and 35 years
  • Playing futsal regularly for more than 1 year.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Use of any ergogenic or anabolic supplement within 6 months prior to the start of the study,
  • Take any medication that may affect the ability to perform the physical tests,
  • Have any physical limitation (e.g. joint or muscle injury) that may affect the ability to perform the physical test,
  • Be engaged in a restricted diet program (e.g. weight loss diet),
  • Have any skin sensitivity or diseases (e.g. erysipelas, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and urticaria) in the irradiated area that may be aggravated by PBMT.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: placebo PBMT
Participants will be received placebo PBMT immediately before physical tests.
Device: Placebo
Participants will be received placebo PBMT on the quadriceps muscle of both legs, immediately before physical tests, using a device containing 200 LEDs (100 red and 100 infrared)
Active Comparator: 300 J PBMT
Participants will be received PBMT at 300 J immediately before physical tests.
Device: 300 J
Participants will be received PBMT at 300 J on the quadriceps muscle of both legs, immediately before physical tests, using a device containing 200 LEDs (100 red and 100 infrared)
Active Comparator: 600 J PBMT
Participants will be received PBMT at 600 J immediately before physical tests.
Device: 600 J
Participants will be received PBMT at 600 J on the quadriceps muscle of both legs, immediately before physical tests, using a device containing 200 LEDs (100 red and 100 infrared)
Active Comparator: 1260 J PBMT
Participants will be received PBMT at 1260 J immediately before physical tests.
Device: 1260 J
Participants will be received PBMT at 1260 J on the quadriceps muscle of both legs, immediately before physical tests, using a device containing 200 LEDs (100 red and 100 infrared)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Countermovement vertical jump (CMJ)
Time Frame: 10 minutes
The CMJ test will be performed on a force platform (BIOMEC400-412, EMG System to Brazil Ltda, São Paulo, Brazil) to assess the flight time. Participants will perform three CMJs, interspersed with 1 min of rest, and the highest flight time will be used as an indicator of muscle power. The test will began with the participant standing, knees extended, and hands fixed on the iliac crest region (hips). The participant then will flexed their legs at an angle of approximately 90º and then quickly extended their legs to maximize the height of the jump. Hands will be kepted on hips throughout the jump.
10 minutes
Repetitions-to-failure
Time Frame: 10 minutes
The repetitions-to-failure test in the 45º leg press exercise consists of 3 sets at 70% of 1RM, with a 60-s rest interval between each set. Participants will perform as many repetitions as possible until momentary failure (i.e., when the participant is unable to complete the concentric portion of their current repetition across the full range of motion despite using maximal effort), and the maximum number of repetitions in each set will be recorded.
10 minutes
Fatigue index (FI)
Time Frame: 10 minutes
The fatigue index (FI) will be determined by the equation: [(REPS3 - REPS1)/REPS1]*100, where: REPS3 = number of repetitions in set 3, multiplied by the load lifted, and REPS1 = number of repetitions in set 1, multiplied by the load lifted. The higher the FI value (%), the higher the level of muscle fatigue.
10 minutes
Rating of perceive exterion (RPE)
Time Frame: 10 minutes
Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) will be recorded immediately after completion of each set using the OMNI-RES scale. The participants will be instructed to report the perceived exertion value by indicating a number on the OMNI-RES scale (0 for ''no effort'' and 10 for ''maximal effort'') that best represented their momentary exertion.
10 minutes
Maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC)
Time Frame: 10 minutes
The MVIC test for the leg extension exercise (bilateral) will be performed using an isometric dynamometer (CEFISE Biotechnology, São Carlos, Brazil). Briefly, participants will perform three MVICs at 120º of knee flexion (180º = full extension) lasting 5 s, interspersed with 5 s of rest. Participants will be instructed and verbally encouraged to exert maximum force during all attempts. The highest value obtained for peak and mean torque of the three MVICs will be used for the analysis.
10 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Universidade Norte do Paraná

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

February 15, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 15, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

March 18, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 16, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 16, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

August 20, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

January 9, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 7, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Photobiomodulation and futsal

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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