Evaluation of the Application of Sports Massage to Recover Muscle Fatigue in Badminton Students at Tadulako University
Keywords:
Sports Massage; Muscle Recovery; Doms; Badminton; Student AthletesAbstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of sports massage on muscle fatigue recovery in badminton students at Tadulako University through a qualitative case study approach integrating observational indicators. Participants consisted of 12 UKM student athletes (6 men, 6 women; ages 19–22) who participated in intensive training sessions (90 minutes of shuttle runs and smash drills). The intervention, which included 15 minutes of sports massage using effleurage, petrissage, and friction techniques (quadriceps, hamstring, and deltoid), was administered post-training for four weeks (two sessions per week). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, direct observations (RPE Borg, HR recovery, VAS pain), and reflection journals. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis using NVivo 14. The results identified four main themes: (1) reduction in DOMS experienced by 92% of participants within 24 hours, with a reduction in VAS pain in 65–70%; (2) increased flexibility and range of motion in 75% of participants; (3) accelerated physiological recovery, demonstrated by an average decrease in RPE of 3–4 points and a 39% faster HR recovery; and (4) increased motivation and exercise readiness in 91% of participants. Conceptually, these findings support the mechanisms of vascular theory and gate control theory in explaining the effects of pain neuromodulation and improved circulation. It is concluded that sports massage is an effective, practical, and replicable recovery strategy for amateur badminton athletes in a university student activity unit (UKM) environment.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Anugrah Riski Tritama, Zahra Zetira, Zalikal Ilham, Muh. Arif, Heni Silfianti (Author)
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