Non-pharmacological interventions for post-exercise muscle recovery in athletes: Systematic review with meta-analysis.

• Grant number: 24/05821-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2024
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Alan José Barbosa Magalhães
• Grantee: Joyce Kelly da Silva Santos
• Host Institution: Instituto Municipal de Ensino Superior de Assis. Fundação Educacional do Município de Assis (FEMA). Assis , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Many health professionals seek non-pharmacological methods that can accelerate muscle recovery in high-performance athletes, so that they can practice their sport throughout a season with maximum possible performance and with the lowest risk of injury, both in training, competitions, and recovery periods between activities. However, there is no consensus in the current literature on which non-pharmacological intervention is most effective in post-exercise muscle recovery. Objective: Evaluate and compare different non-pharmacological interventions for muscle recovery after high-performance exercise. Materials and methods: This systematic review with meta-analysis will be carried out using the guide provided by the Cochrane Handbook on Systematic Reviews of Interventions, previously registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO, nº CRD42023476620). A systematic review will be carried out, considering only complete articles, without establishing restrictions regarding the sample and language of publication, and all studies with a single group (crossover) or that use pharmacological interventions will be excluded. In the meta-analysis, the different types of exercise found will be compared to a control group each and to each other. Then, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) will be the guide used to write the present study. The quality of the evidence will be measured using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE). Statistical analysis will be performed using the Review Manager® software (RevMan 5.3.5®), from Cochrane®. The results will be grouped in a meta-analysis, presented by standard mean difference (BMD), using a 95% confidence interval (CI). Finally, the guide A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews 2.0 (AMSTAR 2.0) will be used to check whether the review meets all the criteria for its completion.