Effects of massage and compression treatment on performance in three consecutive days

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of massage treatment plus 24hours of elastic calf compression on delayed onset of muscle soreness following maximum calf-raise exercises during three consecutive days. METHODS: Fourteen female students (aged 20–22 yr) who had regularly performed moderate exercise were submitted to maximum calf-raise exercises of 1 movement per 3 seconds till exhaustion. Seven subjects (T-group) received effleurage massage on both calf muscles immediately after the exercise plus 24hours of elastic calf compression. The other subjects (C-group) received no treatment. We examined creatine-kinase, maximum calf muscle circumference, maximum voluntary isometric muscle contraction, perceived pain, maximum angle of dorsiflexion and one-leg long jumping before and immediately after treatment (T-group) or exercise (C-group) for 3 days of exercise plus 7 days of recovery. Subjects carried a step counter to count the number steps walked each day. RESULTS: The number of calf-raise repetitions in both groups significantly decreased on days 2 and 3. Creatine kinase increased significantly in the T-group from day two of the exercise period to day five of the recovery period, and was tendentially higher than in the C-group. Maximum calf muscle circumference in T-group was higher post-treatment versus pre-exercise, and significantly higher in the C-group. Perceived pain was significantly lower and one-leg long jumping significantly better (by 5–10%) in T-group versus C-group. CONCLUSION: Massage plus elastic calf compression minimizes the change of maximum calf muscle circumference, perceived pain, and one-leg long jumping after maximum calf-raise exercise. Perceived pain correlates with performance.