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UDC 796.8 DOI: 10.14526/2070-4798-2022-17-2-121-125
Myofascial release effectiveness in athletes' recovery
Yuriy E. Zakaryukin*, Nadezhda P. Petrushkina, Olga I. Kolomiets
Ural State University of Physical Culture Chelyabinsk, Russia ORCID: 0000-0002-1168-3869, yurii.zakaryukin@mail.ru* ORCID: 0000-0003-4623-856X, kolomiec_o@mail.ru ORCID: 0000-0002-4744-2135,25ppnn@mail.ru
Abstract: In order to choose an effective means of traumatism prophylaxis and recovery of athletes, who are involved into combat sports and have high risk of sports traumatism, we estimated the speed of impulses conduction along nerve fibers (myography) and speed of muscles response to the signal. We also estimated statokinetic steadiness (stabilometry) before and after the course of myofascial release. Materials. Effectiveness estimation of myofascial release inclusion into the rehabilitation program among the athletes, who have high risk of sports traumatism. Research methods. Information sources analysis and summarizing, electromyography with bio-potential of muscles registration using "Neuromian" apparatus (model 401, "Medicom", Russia), electroneuromyography (ENMG), plantography, stabilometry, Romberg's test, methods of mathematical statistics. Results. The athletes, who are involved into combat sports, had hypotony and hypertension of foot flexor muscles, distinct asymmetry at rest and tension, insufficient tonus during arbitrary tension and insufficient relaxation at rest. The results show high risk of injuries getting in terms of lack of recovery. Conclusion. Myofascial release inclusion into rehabilitation programs of athletes-combatants helps to decrease the risk of traumatism, improve coordinating abilities, decrease pain syndrome, intensify rehabilitation measures and improve their quality. They would help to achieve the planned sports results Keywords: myofascial release, athletes, combat sports, recovery
For citation: Yuriy E. ZakaryukinYu.E.*, Nadezhda P. Petrushkina, Olga I. Kolomiets. Myofascial release effectiveness in athletes' recovery. Russian Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 2022; 17(2): 91-99. DOI: 10.14526/2070-4798-2022-17-2-121-125 .
Introduction
The training activity of children and teen-agers, who are involved into combat sports, demands paying great attention to balance support. It is conditioned by the necessity to prevent traumatism, which is proved by great amount of publications. [N.P. Petrushkina, 2016; O.I. Kolomiets, 2018; F.Yu. Pitirkin, 2019; N.P. Petrushkina, 2020; F.Yu. Pitirkin, 2020, and others]. High demands are claimed on the coordinating abilities of athletes in combat sports [The Japanese art of Ju-jitsu. BMJ. 2005]. Their improvement is one of the means of sports traumatism prevention. In this connection for doctors and physiologists it is reasonable to create and realize the programs of coordinating abilities improvement among athletes [TA. Bulavkina, 2018; IA. Grakhov, 2019; Е.V. Sinelnik, 2016; А.B. Trembach, 2015].
The aim of the present research work is to estimate the effectiveness of myofascial release inclusion into the rehabilitation program of athletes. They have high risk of sports traumatism.
Materials and methods
The research was held on the basis of LLC
"Healing touch plus" and Chelyabinsk regional public organization (CRPO) "Sports club "PERESVET"", Chelyabinsk. We examined the athletes (80 boys at the age of 16 ± 1,1). They were involved into combat sports. They had the pain in lower extremities and sports results decrease. On the basis of the initial indices of myography and plantography we defined the group of young athletes. They had high risk of traumatism (n=50). This group included young athletes. They had changes in speed of impulses conduction along nerve fibers (myography). They had changed ability of muscles to react to the signals, changed speed of response. The group also included the athletes with the signs of platypodia (according to plantography results) and the changes of statokinetic steadiness (according to stabilometry results). In order to estimate the effectiveness of rehabilitation measures, with the help of random sampling method, we formed two groups of athletes (25 people each). In the main group the complex of rehabilitation included everyday therapeutic exercise (TE) classes, lower extremities massage 3 times a week and everyday myofascial release (MFR). In the control group the same complex was realized, but without MFR. The course of preventive
measures included 30 lessons (every day), the duration of each lesson was 45 minutes.
We had a talk with the athletes concerning the day regimen, gave recommendations concerning nutrition and the specificity of TE lessons. Each respondent (or their legal representative) signed voluntary agreement to take part in the research work [A.N. Kovalenko, 2019].
In order to estimate functional state of muscular-ligamentous apparatus of lower extremities we organized electromyography with bio-potential of muscles registration using "Neuromian" apparatus (model 401, "Medicom", Russia).
We simultaneously studied foot flexor muscles tonus - calf muscles (musculus gastrocnemius) of the right and the left shin. Electroneuromyography (ENMG) helps to define contractile ability of muscles and nervous system state. ENMG helps to register response to the impact of low-intensity electric impulses, estimate the ability and speed of impulses conduct by nerve fibers, the ability of muscles to react to the signals from nerve-endings, speed of response.
Coordinating abilities testing in young athletes was fulfilled with the help of "Stabilan-01-2" platform. It included computer stabilizer with biological feedback "Stabilan-01-2", StabMed2 monitor and software program. During stabilometry Romberg's test was used for coordination estimation of formation level of motor sensory system skills. It provides body steadiness control and the quality of nerve-muscle activity. The test was held with the closed and open eyes 30 seconds each.
We estimated the following characteristics: speed of pressure center transfer - V (mm/s); normalized area of vectorogramm (mm2 /s); general movement zone square (mm2); ellipse area (mm2); quality of balance function (QBF). The research provided the studied indices estimation with the eyes open (visual control over body position) and close (in terms of
visual control). Reference values, used by us as a norm, are presented in the work [I.A. Grakhov, 2019].
Mathematical handling of the results was organized with the help of software program Microsoft Excel 2010 and using generally adopted methods of variation statistics. We calculated mean value of the index - M; standard error of mean -m, mean square deviation - 8. During the degree of validity determination we used Student t-test. The results were considered statistically valid in case t >1,96 (95% significance level - p <0,01) [E.V. Bykov, 2019].
Results and discussion
The received results are presented in tables.
At the beginning of the research the athletes from the main and the control groups, who had (according to the results of the initial testing) high risk of traumatism, had similar indices of myography (table 1) and statokinetic steadiness (table 2-4). At the same time, it should be noted that the revealed at the beginning of the research peculiarities of lower extremities muscles electromyography (prevailing hypotony and hypertension of foot flexor muscles in tension; distinct asymmetry at rest, insufficient tonus during arbitrary tension and insufficient relaxation at rest) show high risk of sports traumatism among the examined teen-agers, who are involved into combat sports (table 1). At the same time the initial indices of statokinetic steadiness among examined by us athletes turned out to be better than referential values, calculated in the groups of people, who are not involved into sport [I.A. Grakhov, 2019]. It can be determined by the specificity of the kind of sport (combat sports) and systematic knowledge, directed toward coordination development. The results of testing athletes from both groups in case of visual control were better, than the results with the eyes closed.
Table 1
The indices of foot flexor muscles tonus among the respondents before and after rehabilitation
Group Period of study, state, mean (^m /W) ±, error of mean, significance level
Before After P
At rest (right side)
Main (n=25) 38,47±3,27 51,36±3,62 < 0,001
Control (n=25) 39,22±3,60 42,16±3,21 > 0,05
At rest (left side)
Main (n=25) 41,7±3,66 55,30±2,46 < 0,001
Control (n=25) 39,35±3,53 46,10±3,51 > 0,05
In tension (right side)
Main (n=25) 550,90±5,4 695,24 ±5,23 < 0,001
control (n=25) 552,50±4,3 550,245 ±5,4 > 0,05
In tension (left side)
Main (n=25) 542,56±5,4 531,35 ±5,11 < 0,001
Control (n=25) 543,11±5,4 542,29 ±4,4 > 0,05
Taking into account the received results in table 1 we come to the conclusion that in the main group foot flexor muscles tonus at rest (right and left side) after rehabilitation using myofascial release was statistically validly optimized (from 38,47±3,27 to 51,36±3,62 - right side, from 41,7±3,66 to 55,30±2,46 - left side, before and after rehabilitation). We also statistically validly optimized the result in tension ( from 550,90±5,4 to 695,24 ±5,23 - right side, from 542,56±5,4 to 531,35
±5,11 - left side, before and after rehabilitation).
In the control group, where we used standard method of physical rehabilitation, foot flexor muscles tonus changes insignificantly (p> 0,05).
Myofascial release influence on the indices of foot flexor muscles tonus can be explained by fascial adhesions and restrictions elimination and also by the amplitude of joints flexibility increase and muscles relaxation of covering them fascia.
Table 2
Indices of statokinetic steadiness support among the examined athletes during Romberg test fulfillment
in case of visual control (with the eyes open)
Indices Groups, period of study, maximal and minimal values of measurements, mean, error of mean, mean square deviation t*
Main group (n=25) Control group (n=25)
before after before after
1 2 3 4 5 6
Average dispersion of general center of gravity (GCG), mm
Min-max 3,5-4 4,6-5,2 3,6-4,1 3,8-4,2 t 2-3 = 38,39 t 4-5 = 2,77 t 2-4 = 0 t 3-5 = 26,03
M 4,8 4,9 3,8 4,9
±m 0,02 0,03 0,02 0,02
±0 0,11 0,15 0,13 0,11
Speed of square change, mm2/s
Min-max 9,8-13,8 17,6-10,8 15,1-11,5 13,8-17,4 t 2-3 = 14,98 t 4-5 = 4,62 t 2-4 = 1,42 t 3-5 = 4,62
M 13,6 14,9 13,3 16,3
±m 0,16 0,27 0,14 0,14
±0 0,86 1,47 0,78 0,78
Quality of balance function, %
Min-max 73,21-79,9 83,2-89,6 71,3-78,3 77,2-89,4 t 2-3 = 24,23 t 4-5 = 4,85 t 2-4 = 1,82 t 3-5 = 21,99
M 70,5 76,4 74,8 88,3
±m 1,51 0,25 0,28 0,48
±0 1,47 1,38 1,51 2,64
Average speed of center of pressure shift, mm/s
Min-max 14,5-17,3 7,6-10,8 15,0-17,8 12,5-16,1 t 2-3 = 11,7 t 4-5 = 1,76 t 2-4 = 0,31 t 3-5 = 26,91
M 17,9 18,2 16,1 14,3
±m 0,11 0,13 0,11 0,14
±0 0,60 0,69 0,60 0,78
Ellipse area, mm2
- valid differences between the groups in terms of t > 1,96
Min-max 142,9-227,4 36,3-124,7 130,8-211,60 73,8-161,2 t 2-3 = 11,47 t 4-5 = 1,94 t 2-4 = 1,42 t 3-5 = 7,56
M 185,2 150,5 171,2 117,5
±m 3,32 3,48 3,18 3,44
±0 18,9 19,1 17,4 18,8
Table 2 presents the results above the average among both groups before the research. It is connected with the necessity to have high coordinating development of athletes of this kind of sport. Taking into consideration the received results, we see that initially the groups didn't have statistically valid differences (t 2-4 - the main and the control groups comparison before the rehabilitation). After the offered complex of
rehabilitation organization the most statistically significant changes were registered in the main group (t 2-3), at the same time the changes in the main group are less significant (t 4-5). The received results prove more positive influence of the offered rehabilitation and traumatism prevention methodology on the athletes, who took part in the experiment.
Indices Groups, period of study, maximal and minimal values of measurements, mean, error of mean, mean square deviation t*
Main group (n=25) Control group (n=25)
before after before after
1 2 3 4 5 6
Average dispersion of general center of gravity (GCG), mm
Min-max 4,8/5,4 3,9/4,5 5,6/6,1 5,0/5,6 t 2-3 = 26,9 t 4-5 = 4,56 t 2-4 = 0 t 3-5 = 34,14
M 5,1 4,2 5,2 5,3
±m 0,02 0,02 0,02 0,02
±0 0,13 0,13 0,11 0,13
Speed of square change, mm2/s
Min-max 9,8-13,8 17,6-10,8 15,1-11,5 13,8-17,4 t 2-3 = 14,98 t 4-5 = 4,62 t 2-4 = 1,42 t 3-5 = 4,62
M 13,6 14,9 13,3 16,3
±m 0,16 0,27 0,14 0,14
±0 0,86 1,47 0,78 0,78
Quality of balance function, %
Table 3
Indices of statokinetic steadiness support among the examined athletes during Romberg test fulfillment without visual control (with eyes closed)
Min-max 73,21-79,9 83,2-89,6 71,3-78,3 77,2-89,4 t 2-3 = 29,67 t 4-5 = 24,33 t 2-4 = 1,82 t 3-5 = 3,50
M 75,5 86,4 74,8 88,3
±m 1,51 0,25 0,28 0,48
±0 1,47 1,38 1,51 2,64
Average speed of center of pressure shift, mm/s
Min-max 14,5-17,3 7,6-10,8 15,0-17,8 12,5-16,1 t 2-3 = 32,59 t 4-5 = 11,7 t 2-4 = 0,31 t 3-5 = 26,91
M 15,9 9,2 16,1 14,3
±m 0,11 0,13 0,11 0,14
±0 0,60 0,69 0,60 0,78
Ellipse area, mm2
Min-max 142,9-227,4 36,3-124,7 130,8-211,60 73,8-161,2 t 2-3 = 21,77 t 4-5 = 11,47 t 2-4 = 1,42 t 3-5 = 7,56
M 185,2 80,5 171,2 117,5
±m 3,32 3,48 3,18 3,44
±0 18,9 19,1 17,4 18,8
- valid differences between the groups in terms of t > 1,96
As it was expected, the research results with the eyes offered rehabilitation methods also had statistically open (table 2) turned out to be better, than the results significant influence on the main group indices (t with the eyes closed (table 3). It is connected with 2-3), than classical methods of rehabilitation, used the specificity of the kind of sport (combat sports) in the control group (t 4-5). This can be proved by and is mainly explained by visual control during studying the indices presented in the tables. movements fulfillment. Initially the groups didn't have considerable differences in indices (t 2-4). The
Table 4
Romberg coefficient indices among the examined athletes from the main and control groups
before and after the rehabilitation
Indices Groups, period of study, maximal and minimal values of measurements, mean, error of mean, mean square deviation t*
Main group (n=25) Control group (n=25)
before after before after
1 2 3 4 5 6
Average dispersion of general center of gravity (GCG), mm
- valid differences between the groups in terms of t > 1,96
Min-max 85,7-170,1 107,1-191,5 95,8-180,2 114,5-198,6 t 2-3 = 8,27 t 4-5 = 4,75 t 2-4 = 0 t 3-5 = 3,14
M 137,9 149,3 137,9 176,6
±m 3,31 3,32 3,30 3,32
±5 18,2 18,1 18,1 19,9
Romberg coefficient indices, presented in table 4, also prove more positive influence of the complex (the complex included myofascial release) on the respondents: the indices of average dispersion of general center of gravity (GCG), (mm) improvement from 85,7-170,1 to 107,1-191,5, in the main group-from 95,8-180,2 to 114,5-198,6. Undoubtedly, the complex, which includes classical kinds of rehabilitation, is also statistically significant (t 4-5), but the complex, which includes myofascial release, is more effective (t 2-3).
After the end of the experiment positive dynamics of the studied indices was registered in both groups. Though all teen-agers had muscle tonus improvement, in the main group this dynamics was more distinct and it proved great effectiveness of myofascial release inclusion into rehabilitation.
During the series of exercises fulfillment, directed toward myofascial discharge, simultaneously hand influence is realized. It gives relaxation both to muscle and connective tissues. Compressing and passively extending the muscle, which most of all needs rehabilitation, we achieve positive effect [Ivlev M.P. 2017]. In this case direct influence of extension or pressure on the muscle leads to adhesive process rupture in myofascial structures and to connection decrease between collagen fibers in connective tissue. It is considered as mechanical effect. Here we also see neurophysiological effect. It is explained by proprioceptors stimulation, sending signals into central nervous system in case of pressure and extension and also response signals appearance. They cause muscles and covering them fascia relaxation. Thus, MFR provides symptoms elimination, known as fascial restrictions and adhesions and also pain and the amplitude of movement decrease in joints.
We plan to continue the research works and get thorough information concerning statokinetic steadiness, in particular, according to the tests, which include head turning on the right and on the left, according to optokinetic tests and others. We also think that the results concerning sports effectiveness and traumatism of athletes, included into the present research work would be very informative.
Conclusion
Received during the research results prove statistically significant positive improvements during myofascial release inclusion into rehabilitation program of athletes-combatants. Positive changes of foot flexor muscles tonus indices and the average dispersion of general center of gravity GCG, the quality of balance function, the average speed of pressure center shift and ellipse area prove rehabilitation process optimization. It has a positive influence on the young athletes' quality of life and on their sports results.
The received results analysis proves the expediency of myofascial release use in order to improve resource features of foot among athletes. They are involved into combat sports. Classical kinds of rehabilitation and traumatism prevention (TE and massage) also have a positive influence on lower extremities of combatants, but myofascial release inclusion into this complex leads to its effectiveness improvement. It means that myofascial release use together with other kinds of rehabilitation is more effective. It allows us recommending this method of rehabilitation.
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Submitted: 09.05.2022 Author's information:
Yuriy E. Zakaryukin - Post-graduate, Ural State University of Physical Culture, 454091, Russia, Chelyabinsk, Ordzhonikidze str., House 1, e-mail: yurii.zakaryukin@mail.ru
Nadezhda P. Petrushkina - Doctor of Medical Sciences, Chief Researcher, Ural State University of Physical Culture, 454091, Russia, Chelyabinsk, Ordzhonikidze str., House 1, e-mail: 25ppnn@mail.ru Olga I. Kolomiets - Candidate of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor, Ural State University of Physical Culture, 454091, Russia, Chelyabinsk, Ordzhonikidze str., House 1, e-mail: kolomiec_o@mail.ru
