Vibrational Percussion Massage Improves Rectus Femoris Mechanical Properties and Sports Performance in Physically Active Adults

Effects of Vibrational Percussion Massage on Mechanical Properties of Rectus Femoris and Sports Performance in Physically Active Adults

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if vibrational percussion massage (VPM) improves rectus femoris mechanical properties and sports performance after muscle fatigue in physically active adults. It will also examine the immediate effects of VPM on muscle function and recovery.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does VPM improve the mechanical properties of the rectus femoris muscle after fatigue?
• Does VPM improve knee extensor strength and triple-hop performance after fatigue?

Researchers will compare measurements obtained before fatigue, after fatigue, and after a VPM intervention to evaluate the effects of VPM on muscle recovery and sports performance.

Participants will:

• Perform a fatigue protocol targeting the lower extremity muscles.
• Receive a 5-minute VPM intervention after the fatigue protocol.
• Complete assessments of rectus femoris mechanical properties using a myotonemeter.
• Perform maximal isometric knee extensor strength and triple-hop distance tests at three time points: before fatigue, after fatigue, and after VPM intervention.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Muscle; Sport Performance; MyotonPRO; Fatigue Recovery
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Vibrational percussion massage

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 26
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Taiwan
  • Tainan, Taiwan, 701
    • National Cheng Kung University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy indiciduals aged between 20 to 60 years old.

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of spinal or lower extremity surgery
• Current musculoskeletal pain interfering with daily activities
• Smoking
• Pregnancy
• Presence of cardiopulmonary disorders
• Scoliosis or other musculoskeletal deformities
• Inability to complete the fatigued protocol

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Physically active adults

Device: Vibrational percussion massage; Participants will receive a 5-minute vibrational percussion massage (VPM) intervention applied to the right rectus femoris muscle using a handheld percussion massage device (Hypervolt, Hyperice, California, United States) with a spherical massage head at a fixed frequency of 53 Hz. The intervention will be administered by a trained physical therapist with the device applied perpendicularly to the treatment area. Two treatment locations on the rectus femoris muscle, including the midpoint and lower one-third of the muscle, will each receive 2.5 minutes of non-stroking stimulation. During the intervention, participants will lie in a supine position with both lower extremities fully relaxed and extended.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Muscle tension of the rectus femoris measured by myotonometry (Hz)	Muscle tension represents the resting tone of the rectus femoris muscle, quantified by oscillation frequency. Higher values indicate greater resting muscle tension.	Assessed at baseline, immediately after the fatigue protocol, and immediately after the 5-minute vibrational percussion massage intervention.
Muscle stiffness of the rectus femoris measured by myotonometry (N/m)	Dynamic stiffness represents the resistance of the rectus femoris muscle to external deformation, with higher values indicating greater muscle stiffness and lower tissue compliance.	Assessed at baseline, immediately after the fatigue protocol, and immediately after the 5-minute vibrational percussion massage intervention.
Muscle elasticity of the rectus femoris measured by myotonometry (logarithmic decrement)	Muscle elasticity represents the ability of the rectus femoris muscle to restore its original shape after deformation. Lower values indicate better elasticity and lower energy dissipation.	Assessed at baseline, immediately after the fatigue protocol, and immediately after the 5-minute vibrational percussion massage intervention.
Mechanical stress relaxation time of the rectus femoris measured by myotonometry (ms)	Mechanical stress relaxation time represents the time required for the rectus femoris muscle to recover from deformation after an external mechanical impulse. Longer values indicate more compliant (softer) tissue, whereas shorter values indicate increased muscle stiffness.	Assessed at baseline, immediately after the fatigue protocol, and immediately after the 5-minute vibrational percussion massage intervention.
Creep of the rectus femoris measured by myotonometry (ratio)	Creep represents the viscoelastic deformation of the rectus femoris muscle under a constant mechanical load. Higher values indicate greater tissue elongation capacity and viscoelastic deformation, whereas lower values suggest reduced compliance.	Assessed at baseline, immediately after the fatigue protocol, and immediately after the 5-minute vibrational percussion massage intervention.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Maximal isometric knee extensor strength measured by handheld dynamometry (N)	Maximal isometric knee extensor strength was assessed using a handheld dynamometer. Participants performed a 6-second maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the knee extensors in a seated position, and the peak force was recorded. Three trials were performed and averaged for analysis.	Assessed at baseline, immediately after the fatigue protocol, and immediately after the 5-minute vibrational percussion massage intervention.
Triple-hop distance test (m)	The triple-hop test was used to assess functional lower-limb performance. Participants performed three consecutive maximal forward hops on the same limb and were required to maintain balance for 3 seconds after the final landing. The total hopping distance from the starting line to the final landing position was measured. Three trials were performed and averaged for analysis.	Assessed at baseline, immediately after the fatigue protocol, and immediately after the 5-minute vibrational percussion massage intervention.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: National Cheng Kung University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Yi-Ju Tsai, PhD, National Cheng Kung University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 12, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 31, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): January 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 6, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 6, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): May 12, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 19, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 17, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Fatigue; Myotonometry; Muscle mechanical properties; Sprots performance; Vibrational percussion massage
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Fatigue
• Other Study ID Numbers: VPM_Fatigue

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