Eficácia da Terapia Manual no alívio da dor musculoesquelética em atletas: Revisão Integrativa da Literatura

Abstract

Muscle pain can be a significant obstacle for athletes. One alternative to accelerate muscle recovery and minimize the effects of intense training loads on muscles is the use of Manual Therapy (MT). Despite the recognition of MT in injury rehabilitation, its effectiveness in reducing the sensation of pain still requires further elucidation. The aim of this study was to investigate how MT impacts the sensation of pain, and how these influences can affect athletes during their sports practice. This study consisted of an

integrative review of the literature, with the inclusion criteria established as: original articles published in the last ten years, in Portuguese and English, that address the topic and are characterized as randomized clinical trials. Thus, the predominance of Massage Therapy was observed as the most applied technique for pain relief in athletes and, despite technical differences, the studies analyzed showed some degree of effectiveness of Manual Therapy in pain relief. The impact on acute pain, delayed muscle soreness, as well as the use of MT combined with other therapies were also highlighted. The integrative analysis of the theoretical framework converges on the effectiveness of Manual Therapy in relieving pain in athletes, although there are doubts regarding the nature of this effectiveness.