Efetividade da compressão pneumática intermitente na recuperação neuromuscular em atletas de basquetebol: ensaio clínico randomizado cruzado

Abstract

Basketball is one of the most widely practiced sports worldwide and is characterized by intermittent actions, involving constant changes of direction between offense and defense, as well as jumps, shots, and sprints. These demands may lead to impairments in neuromuscular function, resulting in reduced strength and power. Such alterations negatively affect sports performance, and recovery strategies are therefore employed in athletic settings to accelerate functional restoration, with intermittent pneumatic compression boots (IPCB) being widely used. However, their effectiveness remains inconclusive, showing small to moderate effects in reducing pain and perceived fatigue. In this context, the present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of IPCB on neuromuscular recovery in basketball athletes following induced fatigue. Thirty-five male amateur basketball players participated in this randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled clinical trial with a 72-hour follow-up (RBR34y3bts). Fatigue was induced using the Basketball Exercise Simulation Test, followed by the application of IPCB or sham ultrasound for 20 minutes. Outcomes assessed included muscle soreness, perceived fatigue, maximal isometric strength, and countermovement jump performance. No significant differences were observed between IPCB and placebo for muscle soreness, perceived recovery, maximal isometric strength, or jump performance at any time point. Both conditions demonstrated substantial recovery over the 72-hour period. In conclusion, IPCB did not demonstrate superiority over placebo in accelerating neuromuscular recovery after induced fatigue in basketball athletes.