Massage Versus Cold Water Immersion for Fatigue-induced Biomechanical Alterations

The intervention will be applied to both legs to a constant distal to proximal stroking rhythm. Firstly, participants will be lying in a prone position for 22 min: 1 min on the sole of the foot, 1 min on the Achilles tendon, 1 min on the soleus muscle, 3 min on the triceps muscle, 4 min on the hamstring muscles, 30 s tapotement from the sole of the foot to the hamstrings and 30 s superficial effleurage from the sole of the foot to the hamstrings. Then they will assume a supine position for 18 min: 1 min on the sole of the foot, 3 min on the tibialis anterior and peroneus lateralis muscles and 4 min in the quadriceps, adductors and lata muscles, 30 s tapotement from the sole of the foot to the hamstrings and 30 s superficial effleurage from the sole of the foot to the hamstrings.

The cold water immersion group immersed their lower limbs (ensuring that the iliac crests were fully immersed) in an ice bath filled with cooled water for 10 min. The water was maintained at a mean temperature of 10 degrees (±0.5°) by the addition of ice.