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New Insights into Muscle Fatigue and Recovery
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New Insights into Muscle Fatigue and Recovery

A special issue of Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (ISSN 2411-5142). This special issue belongs to the section "Athletic Training and Human Performance".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 3799

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Matthew Barnes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Sport, Exercise & Nutrition, Massey University, Palmerston North 4472, New Zealand
Interests: exercise-induced muscle damage; resistance exercise; neuromuscular fatigue; nutritional interventions; muscle function
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fatigue, which can be central and/or peripheral in origin, is a transient reduction in physical performance that may impact exercise, training, and activities of daily living through acute and chronic neuromuscular, metabolic, psychological, and environmental mechanisms. Despite decades of research, fatigue remains a complex and incompletely understood phenomenon, with continued research efforts aimed at better understanding its situational and context-specific mechanisms in various populations. Significant, ongoing attention is also given to strategies that may reduce fatigue and improve recovery.

Therefore, this Special Issue aims to further our understanding of the mechanisms underlying fatigue and their implications for physical function and performance. Additionally, this Special Issue will explore strategies that alleviate fatigue and aid recovery.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Mechanisms and outcomes of acute and chronic fatigue;
  • Recovery strategies, including exercise, sleep, nutrition, and technological interventions;
  • Monitoring fatigue and recovery;
  • Sex- and age-related differences in fatigue and recovery;
  • Fatigue and recovery in special populations.

We welcome original research, reviews, and case studies the expand our understanding of this topic.

Dr. Matthew Barnes
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • neuromuscular fatigue
  • mental fatigue
  • central fatigue
  • exercise-induced muscle damage
  • skeletal muscle
  • recovery
  • exercise
  • sleep
  • nutrition

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 538 KB  
Article
Short-Term Tensiomyography Responses of the Vastus Medialis to Percussive Massage Therapy with Different Frequency–Duration Combinations
by Sara Ascic, Mijo Curic and Iva Sklempe Kokic
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11(2), 163; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11020163 - 21 Apr 2026
Viewed by 625
Abstract
Background: Percussive massage therapy (PMT) with handheld massage guns is widely used to support recovery and flexibility, but the short-term behavior of skeletal muscle contractile properties and the relative contribution of application duration versus frequency remain unclear. This study investigated the 10 [...] Read more.
Background: Percussive massage therapy (PMT) with handheld massage guns is widely used to support recovery and flexibility, but the short-term behavior of skeletal muscle contractile properties and the relative contribution of application duration versus frequency remain unclear. This study investigated the 10 min post-intervention time course of tensiomyography (TMG)-derived contractile properties of non-fatigued vastus medialis (VM) after clinically realistic PMT protocols and examined whether longer duration is associated with persistent deviations from baseline than frequency. Methods: In a two-session, within-subject repeated-measure design, 32 participants completed four PMT conditions to the VM (35 Hz–3 min, 35 Hz–6 min, 45 Hz–3 min, and 45 Hz–6 min). TMG parameters (Td, Tc, Ts, Tr, and Dm) were recorded at baseline and repeatedly over 10 min post-intervention. Linear mixed-effect models with frequency and duration as fixed factors and time as continuous and categorical were used to characterize temporal patterns, with emphasis on effect sizes and consistency across parameters. The fixed protocol order (35 Hz in session one, 45 Hz in session two, 3 vs. 6 min assigned to contralateral legs) means that frequency was confounded with session and duration with leg side. Results: Compared with the 3 min protocols, the 6 min protocols were associated with slightly higher Td and Ts, a modest increase in Tr and a slightly greater Dm (e.g., Dm + 0.55 mm), whereas Tc showed no clear duration effect. Across conditions, Td increased immediately after PMT, Tc remained elevated for most of the first 8 min, Ts increased from mid to late post-intervention, Tr changed inconsistently, and Dm was reduced relative to baseline for most of the 10 min period. Differences between 35 and 45 Hz were small and non-significant for all TMG parameters. Conclusions: Clinically realistic PMT protocols at 35–45 Hz in non-fatigued muscle induce small but statistically detectable, duration-sensitive changes in TMG-derived contractile behavior over approximately 10 min. Within the constraints of the fixed, non-randomized design and the small effect sizes observed, these findings support viewing massage gun use as a recovery-oriented adjunct that subtly modulates contractile dynamics, rather than as a strong, standalone performance-enhancing stimulus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Muscle Fatigue and Recovery)
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17 pages, 1185 KB  
Article
Sex Differences in the Acute Effects of Early Partial and Total Sleep Deprivation on Strength, Power, and Endurance Performance in Resistance-Trained Participants
by Marta del Val-Manzano, Juan Jesús Montalvo-Alonso, Paola Gonzalo-Encabo, David Valadés, Carmen Ferragut and Alberto Pérez-López
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11(1), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11010083 - 19 Feb 2026
Viewed by 712
Abstract
Background: Sleep is essential for athletic performance, yet the specific effects of sleep deprivation are not well defined. Evidence in resistance-trained populations is limited regarding sex-specific responses and velocity-based performance across different loads. Purpose: This study examined sex differences in the impact [...] Read more.
Background: Sleep is essential for athletic performance, yet the specific effects of sleep deprivation are not well defined. Evidence in resistance-trained populations is limited regarding sex-specific responses and velocity-based performance across different loads. Purpose: This study examined sex differences in the impact of total (0 h) and partial (4 h) sleep deprivation versus normal sleep (8 h) on strength, power, and endurance performance in resistance-trained individuals. Methods: Twenty-four resistance-trained participants (male/female, 12/12; age: 22 ± 3 years) completed a randomized, cross-over, counterbalanced trial including one baseline control night (8 h at home sleep) and three experimental conditions in the laboratory: (a) 8 h sleep (NS), (b) 4 h sleep (ESD), (c) 0 h sleep (SD). Strength was assessed at 25%, 50%, 75%, 90% and 100% 1RM for bench press and back squat (half-squat depth, ~90° knee flexion), in a Smith machine, followed by a muscular endurance test at 65% 1RM (set-to-failure). Isometric strength and vertical jump test were also performed. Results: At 50% 1RM, significant sleep and sleep-by-sex effects were observed for Vmean in both exercise (p < 0.05, ηp2 > 0.09), an effect only noted in males, with reduced performance under ESD and SD compared to NS (7–13%, p < 0.05, g > 0.50). In the muscular endurance test, sleep and sleep-by-sex effects were found (p < 0.05, ηp2 < 0.22), an effect only found in females during the back squat, showing performance declines in Vmean in ESD and SD compared to NS (7–12%, p < 0.05, g > 0.2). Conclusions: Total and partial sleep deprivation impairs muscular performance differently by sex. Males experienced reduced strength at moderate loads, while females showed declines in muscular endurance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Muscle Fatigue and Recovery)
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12 pages, 541 KB  
Article
The Effect of Ammonia Inhalants on Mental-Fatigue-Related Force Loss
by Matthew J. Barnes, Emma O’Connor and Jason van Zanten
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2025, 10(4), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10040406 - 18 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1967
Abstract
Objectives: Ammonia inhalants (AIs) are commonly used in competition with the assumption that they will increase arousal and reduce the detrimental effects of mental fatigue on performance. However, as the effect of AIs on mental fatigue is unclear, this study investigated (1) whether [...] Read more.
Objectives: Ammonia inhalants (AIs) are commonly used in competition with the assumption that they will increase arousal and reduce the detrimental effects of mental fatigue on performance. However, as the effect of AIs on mental fatigue is unclear, this study investigated (1) whether mental-fatigue-related changes in mood states are associated with reductions in maximal lower-body force production and (2) whether AIs reduce any mental-fatigue-induced changes in performance. Methods: In a randomized, crossover designed study, nine resistance trained males completed two trials, with and without AIs. Profile of mood states, isometric midthigh pull force, and electromyography were measured before and after completion of a 75 min AX-continuous performance test (AX-CPT). For AI trials, AIs were used prior to post-AX-CPT IMTPs. Results: The AX-CPT significantly increased all negative mood subscales, while decreasing vigor (all p < 0.05), resulting in an increase in total mood disturbance (pre-AX-CPT: 27.1 ± 3.17 vs. post-AX-CPT: 64.49 ± 4.01; p = 0.005). Additionally, compared to baseline, force was reduced immediately (1699 ± 345 vs. 1521 ± 324 N; p = 0.009), but not five minutes post-AX-CPT (p = 0.328). Electromyography did not change over time, and no differences between treatments were evident for any of the measures. Conclusions: Mental fatigue, and related mood disturbance, has the potential to acutely reduce lower-body, maximal force. This finding may have implications for athletes competing in strength sports where mental focus, arousal and maximal force production determine optimal performance. However, AIs offer no benefit to alleviating the detrimental effects of mental fatigue. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Muscle Fatigue and Recovery)
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