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Background and aim: Fatigue is the inability to generate the maximal force that can be produced by the muscle . Fatigue is a subject that patients and athletes frequently encounter. Fatigue is one factor that limits muscle function and may lead to various pain and injury conditions. It is most commonly caused either by repetitive motion or by sustained muscular
contractions. Massage has been used for rehabilitation and relaxation for thousands of years. Massage is widely believed to have a beneficial effect on treating muscle fatigue and has been used in clinical and sports setting for that purpose. There is limited scientific evidence, however, to support the use of massage for enhancing performance and recovery from injury, or for preventing injury. The comparison of massage and rest on the knee extensor muscles fatigue after maximal isokinetic contractions is the main objective of this research.
Materials and methods: Fifteen healthy female aged between 20-30 volunteered to participate in this research. They did at least once a week some non-professional light sporting activities. Each of volunteers was evaluated in 3 different times. The first session was in order to familiarize the volunteers with the test and Isokinetic. For the main test, each of the volunteers was evaluated twice with one week interval. At the start of each session after warm up, the following parameters were measured: Perceived fatigue by Visual Analog Scale ¸average peak torque and average power maximal concentric of quadriceps at the velocity of 60 degrees per second by Isokinetic apparatus. Then in order to fatigue protocol ¸ the subjects were asked to perform successive and maximal quadriceps contractions until three subsequent quadriceps torque output reaches below 50 percent maximal torque output. Afterwards average peak torque and average power was measured. The extent of perceived fatigue was evaluated as before. Subjects then either received massage on the knee extensors or rested for 15 minute duration. Recovery from fatigue was quantified using average peak torque (APT), average power (AP) and perceived recovery scale (VAS).
Results: After maximal fatigue and decrease in torque output, below 50 percent maximal torque, 15 minutes of massage could change APT after fatigue from mean 56.70 (Nm) to 91.53 (Nm)) , AP from 38.64 to 63.62 (Nm) and VAS from 90.06 to 10.20 (mm). After 15 minute rest could change APT from 55.36 to 68.10 (Nm), AP from 37.69 to 48 (Nm) and VAS from 90.06 to 20.73 (mm).
Conclusion: There was significant difference between rest and massage conditions for recovery of fatigue. Massage was an effective intervention for enhancing muscle performance and recovery from fatigue but rest didn`t have such an effect. In both cases, recovery stage (massage or rest) caused significant change in perceived fatigue but massage is more effective on the decrease of perceived fatigue. Therefore, massage has been more effective than rest as a strategy to return to normal state and has caused more relief in perceived fatigue.