Data

The Murph workout, one of the most challenging CrossFit® workouts, demands endurance and high intensity. This WOD (Workout of the Day) includes a 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, and another 1-mile run, typically performed while wearing a weighted vest. Due to its high physical demands, athletes commonly experience Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), characterized by increased sensitivity, fatigue, and reduced muscle function. To minimize these effects and ensure proper recovery, it is essential to adopt strategies that restore muscle function, reduce pain, and allow athletes to return to training without an elevated risk of injury. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of massage therapy (MAS) or cold-water immersion (CWI) as a recovery intervention for DOMS in athletes following high-intensity physical activity during the CrossFit® Murph workout. Thirty individuals with a minimum of six months of CrossFit® experience, and familiarity with all exercises used in the study, were recruited. Pain assessments were conducted at four time points: before the workout (Pre), immediately after the intervention (Postrec), 24 hours (Post24), and 48 hours (Post48). Pain was measured using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and the A-DOM questionnaire, along with algometry and thermographic imaging. After completing the WOD, participants were randomly assigned to one of two recovery interventions: MAS or CWI. The MAS intervention consisted of 20 minutes of manual massage therapy, while the CWI intervention involved immersion in ice-cold water at 8°C for 20 minutes. The study results highlight the differential impacts of CWI and MAS on pain management and recovery dynamics following structured exercise. At 48 hours post-intervention, 100% of CWI participants reported no pain, compared to only 12.5% of the MAS group. Additionally, pain intensity during exercise dropped from 3.5 (Pre) to 0 (Post48) in the CWI group, while the MAS group experienced a smaller reduction from 3.6 (Pre) to 2.5 (Post48). These results suggest that CWI is more effective in rapidly reducing pain and soreness, with superior outcomes in pain management during and after physical activities. While our study provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of CWI and MAS for post-exercise recovery, limitations such as the non-blinded study design and small sample size may influence the generalizability of the findings.