The Synergistic Impact of Combined Massage and Stretching During Halftime on Accelerated Recovery in Football: A Quasi-Experimental Study on Lactic Acid Clearance, Pain Reduction, and Flexibility Improvement

Background. Soccer players frequently encounter performance declines early in the second half due to diminished muscle temperature and the accumulation of fatigue indicators, such as lactic acid. Objectives. This study aimed to examine the efficacy of massage, stretching, and their combination in facilitating physical recovery during a halftime break in a match. It focused on how quickly lactic acid leaves the body, how much it reduces discomfort from exercise, and how it improves flexibility. Materials and methods. This study employed a quasi-experimental design, involving 36 male soccer players from UNESA FC. These players were divided into four groups: sports massage (SM), muscle stretching (MS), combination (CMS), and control (CON). The participants engaged in maximum treadmill running (90–95% HRmax) followed by designated recovery procedures: SM, MS, CMS, and CON. Before, during, and after the intervention, lactic acid levels (measured with a lactate meter), range of motion (measured with a goniometer), and pain levels (measured with a visual analogue scale) were all checked. Subsequently, these measures underwent statistical analysis comprising paired t-tests, Wilcoxon tests, MANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results. This study revealed that the CMS group had the most substantial decrease in lactic acid (12.68 ± 2.37 to 5.16 ± 1.04 mmol/L, p = 0.000), outperforming the SM, MS, and CON groups (p < 0.005). Furthermore, pain reduction scores were also found significant in the CMS (3.44 ± 2.35 to 1.67 ± 1.58) and MS (4.67 ± 1.11 to 1.33 ± 1.00) groups (p < 0.05). Similarly, flexibility improvement was superior in CMS (right ROM: p = 0.007; left ROM: p = 0.003), while CON showed no marked changes. The MANOVA test revealed significant intergroup differences in post-intervention outcomes (p < 0.05). Conclusions. The findings of this study indicate that the combination of stretching and massage during halftime of a football match helps maximise healing by lowering lactic acid, relieving discomfort, and improving flexibility or range of motion. This approach lowers second-half performance drops and injury risks.