Introduction: The aim of the present work was to perform a meta-analysis evaluating the impact of recovery techniques on delayed onset muscle soreness DOMS , perceived fatigue, muscle damage, and inflammatory markers after physical exercise.
Overall, 99 studies were included. Massage was found to be the most powerful technique for recovering from DOMS and fatigue. The most powerful techniques for reducing inflammation were massage and cold exposure. Perceived fatigue can be effectively managed using compression techniques, such as compression garments, massage, or water immersion.
Scientific evidence gathered during the past few decades has allowed the identification of the most efficient training strategies for improving physical performance.
However, maximizing the performance capacity of an athlete is not only a matter of training. It also depends on an optimal balance between training and recovery in order to prevent maladaptation to accumulated psychological and physiological stresses induced by the training load Meeusen et al.
Indeed, competition and training can induce repeated eccentric contractions Ispirlidis et al. Changes in the blood concentrations of muscle damage indicators [i.
