Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Does photobiomodulation therapy is better than cryotherapy in muscle recovery after a high-intensity exercise? A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Lasers in Medical Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) and cryotherapy, in isolated and combined forms, as muscle recovery techniques after muscle fatigue-inducing protocol. Forty volunteers were randomly divided into five groups: a placebo group (PG); a PBMT group (PBMT); a cryotherapy group (CG); a cryotherapy-PBMT group (CPG); and a PBMT-cryotherapy group (PCG). All subjects performed four sessions at 24-h intervals, during which they submitted to isometric assessment (MVC) and blood collection in the pre-exercise period, and 5 and 60 min post-exercise, while the muscle fatigue induction protocol occurred after the pre-exercise collections. In the remaining sessions performed 24, 48, and 72 h later, only blood collections and MVCs were performed. A single treatment with PBMT and/or cryotherapy was applied after only 2 min of completing the post-5-min MVC test at the first session. In the intragroup comparison, it was found that exercise led to a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the production of MVC in all groups. Comparing the results of MVCs between groups, we observed significant increases in the MVC capacity of the PBMT, CPG, and PCG volunteers in comparison with both PG and CG (p < 0.05). We observed a significant decrease in the concentrations of the biochemical markers of oxidative damage (TBARS and PC) in all groups and muscle damage (creatine kinase—CK) in the PBMT, PCG, and CPG compared with the PG (p < 0.01). The clinical impact of these findings is clear because they demonstrate that the use of phototherapy is more effective than the use of cryotherapy for muscle recovery, additionally cryotherapy decreases PBMT efficacy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hohenauer E, Taeymans J, Baeyens JP, Clarys P, Clijsen R (2015) The effect of post-exercise cryotherapy on recovery characteristics: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 28(10):e0139028

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Knight KL (1995) Cryotherapy in sport injury management. Human Kinetics, Champaign

    Google Scholar 

  3. Jakeman JR, Macrae R, Eston R (2009) A single 10-min bout of cold-water immersion therapy after strenuous plyometric exercise has no beneficial effect on recovery from the symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage. Ergonomics 52:456–460

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Leal Junior ECP, Vanin AA, Miranda EF, Carvalho PTC, Dal Corso S, Bjordal JM (2015) Effect of phototherapy (low-level laser therapy and light-emitting diode therapy) on exercise performance and markers of exercise recovery: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Lasers Med Sci 30:925–939

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. de Almeida P, Lopes-Martins RA, De Marchi T, Tomazoni SS, Albertini R, Corrêa JC, Rossi RP, Machado GP, da Silva DP, Bjordal JM, Leal JEC (2012) Red (660nm) and infrared (830 nm) low-level laser therapy in skeletal muscle fatigue in humans: what is better? Lasers Med Sci 27:453–458

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Leal JEC, Lopes-Martins RA, Frigo L, De Marchi T, Rossi RP, de Godoi V, Tomazoni SS, da Silva DP, Basso M, Lotti FP, Corsetti FV, Iversen VV, Bjordal JM (2010) Effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in the development of exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue and changes in biochemical markers related to post-exercise recovery. J Orthop Sports PhysTher 40:524–532

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. De Marchi T, Leal JEC, Bortoli C et al (2012) Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in human progressive-intensity running: effects on exercise performance, skeletal muscle status and oxidative stress. Lasers Med Sci 27:231–236

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Huang YY, Chen AC, Carroll JD, Hamblin MR (2009) Biphasic dose response in low-level light therapy. Dose Response 7:358–383

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Karu TI (1987) Photobiological fundamentals of low-power laser therapy. IEEE J Quantum Electron 23:1703–1719

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Goldman JA, Chiapella J, Casey H, Bass N, Graham J, McClatchey W, Dronavalli RV, Brown R, Bennett WJ, Miller SB, Wilson CH, Pearson B, Haun C, Persinski L, Huey H, Muckerheide M (1980) Laser therapy of rheumatoid arthritis. Lasers Surg Med 1:93–101

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Hegedus B, Viharos L, Gervain M, Gálfi M (2009) The effect of low-level laser in knee osteoarthritis: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Photomed Laser Surg 27:577–584

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  12. Bjordal JM, Johnson MI, Iversen V, Aimbire F, Lopes-Martins RA (2006) Photoradiation in acute pain: a systematic review of possible mechanisms of action and clinical effects in randomized placebo-controlled trials. Photomed Laser Surg 24:158–168

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Stergioulas A, Stergioula M, Aarskog R, Lopes-Martins RA, Bjordal JM (2008) Effects of low-level laser therapy and eccentric exercises in the treatment of recreational athletes with chronic achilles tendinopathy. Am J Sports Med 36:881–887

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Basford JR, Sheffield CG, Harmsen WS (1999) Laser therapy: a randomized, controlled trial of the effects of low-intensity Nd:YAG laser irradiation on musculoskeletal back pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 80:647–652

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Konstantinovic LM, Cutovic MR, Milovanovic AN, Jovic SJ, Dragin AS, Letic MD, Miler VM (2010) Low-level laser therapy for acute neck pain with radiculopathy: a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized study. Pain Med 11:1169–1178

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Chow RT, Johnson MI, Lopes-Martins RA et al (2009) Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo or active-treatment controlled trials. Lancet 374:1897–1908

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Chow RT, Heller GZ, Barnsley L (2006) The effect of 300 mW, 830 nm laser on chronic neck pain: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Pain 124:201–210

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Lopes-Martins RA, Marcos RL, Leonardo PS et al (2006) Effect of low level laser (Ga-Al-As 655 nm) on skeletal muscle fatigue induced by electrical simulation in rats. J Appl Physiol 101:283–288

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Fitts RH (1994) Cellular mechanisms of muscle fatigue. Physiol Rev 74:49–94

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Camargo MZ, Siqueira CP, Preti MC, Nakamura FY, de Lima FM, Dias IF, Toginho F, Dde O, Ramos Sde P (2012) Effects of light emitting diode (LED) therapy and cold water immersion therapy on exercise-induced muscle damage in rats. Lasers Med Sci 27:1051–1058

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. da Costa Santos VB, de Paula Ramos S, Milanez VF, Corrêa JC, de Andrade Alves RI, Dias IF, Nakamura FY (2014) LED therapy or cryotherapy between exercise intervals in Wistar rats: anti-inflammatory and ergogenic effects. Lasers Med Sci 29:599–605

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Leal Junior EC, de Godoi V, Mancalossi JL et al (2011) Comparison between cold water immersion therapy (CWIT) and light emitting diode therapy (LEDT) in short-term skeletal muscle recovery after high-intensity exercise in athletes: preliminary results. Lasers Med Sci 26:493–501

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Leal Junior EC, Lopes-Martins RA, Rossi RP, De Marchi T, Baroni BM, de Godoi V, Marcos RL, Ramos L, Bjordal JM (2009) Effect of cluster multi-diode light emitting diode therapy (LEDT) on exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue and skeletal muscle recovery in humans. Lasers Surg Med 41:572–577

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Graham CA, Stevenson J (2000) Frozen chips: an unusual cause of severe frostbite injury. Br J Sports Med 34:382–383

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Moeller JL, Monroe J, McKeag DB (1997) Cryotherapy-induced common peroneal nerve palsy. Clin J Sport Med 7:212–216

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Bassett FH 3rd, Kirkpatrick JS, Engelhardt DL, Malone TR (1992) Cryotherapy-induced nerve injury. Am J Sports Med 20:516–518

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Wills ED (1996) Mechanism of lipid peroxide formation in animal tissues. Biochem J 99:667–676

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Levine RL, Garland D, Oliver CN, Amici A, Climent I, Lenz AG, Ahn BW, Shaltiel S, Stadtman ER (1990) Determination of carbonyl content in oxidatively modified proteins. Methods Enzymol 186:464–478

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Petrofsky JS, Khowailed IA, Lee H, Berk L, Bains GS, Akerkar S, Shah J, Al-Dabbak F, Laymon MS (2015) Cold vs. heat after exercise—is there a clear winner for muscle soreness. J Strength Cond Res 29:3245–3252

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Leeder J, Gissane C, van Someren K, Gregson W, Howatson G (2012) Cold water immersion and recovery from strenuous exercise: a meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med 46:233–240

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Cheung K, Hume P, Maxwell L (2003) Delayed onset muscle soreness: treatment strategies and performance factors. Sports Med 33:145–164

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Zainuddin Z, Newton M, Sacco P, Nosaka K (2005) Effects of massage on delayed-onset muscle soreness, swelling, and recovery of muscle function. J Athl Train 40:174–180

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Stay JC, Richard MD, Draper DO, Schulthies SS, Durrant E (1998) Pulsed ultrasound fails to diminish delayed-onset muscle soreness symptoms. J Athl Train 33:341–346

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Arent SM, Pellegrino JK, Williams CA, Difabio DA, Greenwood JC (2010) Nutritional supplementation, performance, and oxidative stress in college soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 24:1117–1124

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Alessio HM, Hagerman AE, Fulkerson BK, Ambrose J, Rice RE, Wiley RL (2000) Generation of reactive oxygen species after exhaustive aerobic and isometric exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 32:1576–1581

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Fukuda S, Nojima J, Motoki Y, Yamaguti K, Nakatomi Y, Okawa N, Fujiwara K, Watanabe Y, Kuratsune H (2016) Um biomarcador potencial de fadiga : o estresse oxidativo e anti- oxidativo atividade. Biol Psychol 118:88–93

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Reid MB, Haack KE, Franchek KM, Valberg PA, Kobzik L, West MS (1992) Reactive oxygen in skeletal muscle. I. intracellular oxidant kinetics and fatigue in vitro. J Appl Physiol 73:1797–1804

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Ascensão A, Leite M, Rebelo AN, Magalhäes S, Magalhäes J (2011) Effects of cold water immersion on the recovery of physical performance and muscle damage following a one-off soccer match. J Sports Sci 29:217–225

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Bailey DM, Erith SJ, Griffin PJ, Dowson A, Brewer DS, Gant N, Williams C (2007) Influence of cold-water immersion on indices of muscle damage following prolonged intermittent shuttle running. J Sports Sci 25:1163–1170

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Pournot H, Bieuzen F, Duffield R, Lepretre PM, Cozzolino C, Hausswirth C (2011) Short term effects of various water immersions on recovery from exhaustive intermittent exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 111:1287–1295

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. García-Manso JM, Rodríguez-Matoso D, Rodríguez-Ruiz D, Sarmiento S, de Saa Y, Calderón J (2011) Effect of cold-water immersion on skeletal muscle contractile properties in soccer players. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 90:356–363

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. de Almeida P, Tomazoni SS, Frigo L, de Carvalho PT, Vanin AA, Santos LA, Albuquerque-Pontes GM, De Marchi T, Tairova O, Marcos RL, Lopes-Martins RÁ, Leal-Junior EC (2014) What is the best treatment to decrease pro-inflammatory cytokine release in acute skeletal muscle injury induced by trauma in rats: low-level laser therapy, diclofenac, or cryotherapy? Lasers Med Sci 29:653–658

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. de Paiva PR, Tomazoni SS, Johnson DS, Vanin AA, Albuquerque-Pontes GM, Machado CD, Casalechi HL, de Carvalho PT, Leal-Junior EC (2016) Photobiomodulation therapy and/or cryotherapy in skeletal muscle restitution, what is better? A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Lasers Med Sci 31:1925–1933

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Albuquerque-Pontes GM, Vieira RP, Tomazoni SS, Caires CO, Nemeth V, Vanin AA, Santos LA, Pinto HD, Marcos RL, Bjordal JM, de Carvalho PDT, Leal-Junior EC (2015) Effect of pre-irradiation with different doses, wavelengths, and application intervals of low-level laser therapy on cytochrome c oxidase activity in intact skeletal muscle of rats. Lasers Med Sci 30:59–66

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Santos LA, Marcos RL, Tomazoni SS, Vanin AA, Antonialli FC, Grandinetti V.dos S, Albuquerque-Pontes GM, de Paiva PR, Lopes-Martins RÁ, de Carvalho PDT, Bjordal JM, Leal-Junior EC (2014) Effects of pre-irradiation of low-level laser therapy with different doses and wavelengths in skeletal muscle performance, fatigue, and skeletal muscle damage induced by tetanic contractions in rats. Lasers Med Sci 29:1617–1626

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Antonialli FC, De Marchi T, Tomazoni SS, Vanin AA, dos Santos Grandinetti V, de Paiva PR, Pinto HD, Miranda EF, de Tarso Camillo de Carvalho P, Leal-Junior EC (2014) Phototherapy in skeletal muscle performance and recovery after exercise: effect of combination of super-pulsed laser and light-emitting diodes. Lasers Med Sci 29:1967–1976

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Grandinétti V.dos S, Miranda EF, Johnson DS, de Paiva PR, Tomazoni SS, Vanin AA, Albuquerque-Pontes GM, Frigo L, Marcos RL, de Carvalho PDT, Leal-Junior EC (2015) The thermal impact of phototherapy with concurrent super-pulsed lasers and red and infrared LEDs on human skin. Lasers Med Sci 30:1575–1581

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Miranda EF, Vanin AA, Tomazoni SS, Grandinetti V.dos S, de Paiva PR, Machado CS d, Monteiro KK, Casalechi HL, de Tarso PD, Carvalho C, Leal-Junior EC (2016) Using pre-exercise photobiomodulation therapy combining super-pulsed lasers and light-emitting diodes to improve performance in progressive cardiopulmonary exercise tests. J Athl Train 51:129–135

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Vanin AA, Miranda EF, Machado CS, de Paiva PR, Albuquerque-Pontes GM, Casalechi HL, de Tarso Camillo de Carvalho P, Leal-Junior EC (2016) What is the best moment to apply phototherapy when associated to a strength training program? a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial: phototherapy in association to strength training. Lasers Med Sci 31:1555–1564

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Pinto HD, Vanin AA, Miranda EF, Tomazoni SS, Johnson DS, Albuquerque-Pontes GM, Junior AIO, Grandinetti VD, Casalechi HL, de Carvalho PT, Leal Junior EC (2016) Photobiomodulation therapy improves performance and accelerates recovery of high-level rugby players in field test: a randomized, crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. J Strength Cond Res 30:3329–3338

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants, Biotechnology Institute, University of Caxias do Sul, R. Francisco Getúlio Vargas, 1130, Bloco, Sala, 95070-560, Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil

    Thiago De Marchi, Juliane Souza de Sene, Camila Dallavechia de Col & Mirian Salvador

  2. Faculty Cenecista of Bento Gonçalves (CNEC), Bento Gonçalves, RS, Brazil

    Thiago De Marchi

  3. Academic Physical Therapy, Institute of Sports Medicine (IME), University of Caxias do Sul (UCS), Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil

    Vinicius Mazzochi Schmitt & Guilherme Pinheiro Machado

  4. Institute of Sports Medicine (IME), University of Caxias do Sul (UCS), Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil

    Olga Tairova

  5. Laboratory of Phototherapy in Sports and Exercise, Nove de Julho University (UNINOVE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Ernesto Cesar Pinto Leal-Junior

  6. Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Nove de Julho University (UNINOVE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Ernesto Cesar Pinto Leal-Junior

  7. Postgraduate Program in Biophotonics Applied to Health Sciences, Nove de Julho University (UNINOVE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Ernesto Cesar Pinto Leal-Junior

Authors
  1. Thiago De Marchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Vinicius Mazzochi Schmitt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Guilherme Pinheiro Machado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Juliane Souza de Sene
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Camila Dallavechia de Col
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Olga Tairova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Mirian Salvador
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Ernesto Cesar Pinto Leal-Junior
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thiago De Marchi.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

Professor Ernesto Cesar Pinto Leal-Junior receives research support from Multi Radiance Medical (Solon, OH - USA), a laser device manufacturer. Multi Radiance Medical had no role in the planning of this study, and the laser device used was not theirs. They had no influence on study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The remaining authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Ethical aspects

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Caxias do Sul. In accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, all subjects were advised about the procedure and they signed an informed consent prior to participation in the study (CAEE 31344214.3.3001.5341).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

De Marchi, T., Schmitt, V.M., Machado, G.P. et al. Does photobiomodulation therapy is better than cryotherapy in muscle recovery after a high-intensity exercise? A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Lasers Med Sci 32, 429–437 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-016-2139-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-016-2139-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation