Introduction: Population aging is a growing and challenging phenomenon, primarily due to its association with functional decline and sarcopenia, which increase the risk of falls. These events have significant impacts on public health and the quality of life of older adults. Regular physical activity has shown benefits in reducing falls and their consequences, with systemic vibratory therapy (SVT) emerging as a promising strategy to mitigate these adverse outcomes. However, evidence on the actual effectiveness of this therapeutic approach remains limited, as does clarity regarding optimal body position, protocol parameters, and equipment when combined with physical activity programs. Objectives: To compare the effect of systemic vibratory therapy (SVT) associated with a physical activity program on the perception of fear of falling in older adults (M01.060.116.100). As secondary outcomes, the study will assess functional physical conditioning, electromyographic activity, muscular synergy, and center of pressure oscillation in this population. Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial with blinded outcome assessors and blinded statistical analysis will be conducted with 192 older adults participating in the UNATI/UNISUAM program. Participants will be allocated into three groups: (A) usual physical activity; (B) usual physical activity + SVT in a semi-squat position; and (C) usual physical activity + SVT in a seated position. Assessments will include sociodemographic data, concern about falling assessed using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), physical performance (2 min stationary march test), surface electromyography of the tibialis anterior and medial gastrocnemius muscles, along with posturography using a force platform. Results: This study will provide information on outcomes related to fall risk, balance, physical fitness, and neuromuscular variables in older adults undergoing two distinct SVT protocols. Clinical Trials Registration: Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials RBR-68pry5j. Registered on 8 December 2025.

Introduction: Acute neuromuscular fatigue impairs athletic performance and increases the risk of musculoskeletal injury. Recovery strategies such as manual massage (MM) and intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) have been proposed to mitigate these effects, although their efficacy remains controversial. Objective: To compare the MM and IPC effects on muscle damage recovery, lower limb strength, and power in Under-20 soccer athletes. Methods: A cross-sectional crossover studyn was conducted with twenty male youth athletes (n = 20) from the under-20 category (18.65 ± 0.67 years) of Paysandu Sport Club – Brazil, who underwent a fatigue protocol followed by either MM or IPC, with a seven-day washout between sessions. The following variables were assessed: serum creatine kinase (CK), quadriceps and hamstrings isometric voluntary contraction (IVC), and vertical jump (VJ). Results: CK decreased following the MM (pre: 382.50 ± 163.02 U/L; post: 305.40 ± 239.98 U/L; p=0.042) but not for IPC (pre: 337 ± 114.50 U/L; post: 199 ± 89.50 U/L); p=0.16). After the crossover, IPC elicited a significant reduction in CK (pre: 307 ± 198 U/L; post: 256 ± 84.75 U/L; p=0.028), whereas MM did not reach statistical significance (pre: 316.70 ± 116.66 U/L; post: 252.50 ± 91.77 U/L; p=0.094). Neither intervention (MM or IPC) resulted in significant improvements in Quadriceps or Hamstring (p>0.05) IVC or VJ height (p>0.05). Conclusion: MM and IPC are viable recovery tools to mitigate biochemical markers of muscle stress without compromising performance, a crucial consideration for high-performance environments where recovery windows are narrow.

Introduction: Acute neuromuscular fatigue impairs athletic performance and increases the risk of musculoskeletal injury. Recovery strategies such as manual massage (MM) and intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) have been proposed to mitigate these effects, although their efficacy in elite youth soccer remains under debate. Objective: To compare the acute effects of MM and IPC on muscle damage recovery, lower limb strength, and power in Brazilian Under-20 soccer athletes. Methods: A randomized crossover study was conducted with twenty male youth athletes (18.65 ± 0.67 years) from the under-20 category of Paysandu Sport Club—Brazil. Each athlete underwent both MM and IPC interventions, separated by a seven-day washout. Variables assessed included serum creatine kinase (CK), quadricep and hamstring isometric voluntary contraction (IVC), and vertical jump (VJ). Results: MM resulted in a CK reduction of Δ = −77.1 U/L (p = 0.042; d = 0.37), indicating a moderate effect size, while IPC induced a larger reduction of Δ = −138.0 U/L (p = 0.160; d = 1.41), with a very large effect size despite the lack of statistical significance. Neither intervention produced significant changes in quadricep or hamstring IVC, nor in VJ height (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Both MM (statistical difference) and IPC (clinical difference) were viable recovery strategies for attenuating acute serum CK without impairing neuromuscular performance in elite under-20 soccer players.