Effects of Acupuncture Intervention on Recovery from Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS): A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) frequently impairs physical function and athletic performance. There is growing interest in effective non-pharmacological recovery strategies. Acupuncture holds potential, but robust evidence from trials integrating multidimensional outcomes is limited. Objective This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effects of acupuncture on subjective pain, objective muscle function, and a biochemical marker of muscle damage during recovery from experimentally induced DOMS. Methods Thirty healthy, sedentary adults (23.2 ± 2.0 years) were randomized to an acupuncture group (AG, n = 15) or a nonintervention control group (CG, n = 15). DOMS was induced in the dominant quadriceps via a standardized eccentric exercise protocol. The AG received acupuncture treatments at local and distal points (ST34, ST36, SP10, Ashi points) at 24 and 48 h postexercise. The CG received no treatment. Outcomes, including visual analog scale (VAS) pain, pressure pain threshold (PPT), maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), and serum creatine kinase (CK), were assessed at baseline, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h postexercise. Results Data from 28 participants (AG, n = 14; CG, n = 14) were analyzed. Significant group × time interactions were found for VAS, PPT, MVC, and CK (all p < 0.05). The AG reported significantly lower VAS pain at 48 h (AG 49.8 ± 11.2 mm vs. CG 66.3 ± 9.7 mm, p = 0.002) and 72 h (AG 21.5 ± 8.6 mm vs. CG 41.8 ± 11.3 mm, p < 0.001). A higher PPT, indicating reduced mechanical hyperalgesia, was observed in the AG at 72 h (AG 318 ± 40 kPa vs. CG 271 ± 48 kPa, p = 0.019). Muscle strength recovery (%MVC) was greater in the AG at 72 h (AG 86.5 ± 5.1% vs. CG 75.9 ± 7.3%, p = 0.001). Serum CK levels, while similar at peak (24 h), were significantly lower in the AG at 72 h postexercise (AG 408 ± 142 U/L vs. CG 572 ± 187 U/L, p = 0.013). Conclusion A two-session acupuncture protocol applied during the acute phase of DOMS significantly attenuated perceived pain, accelerated the recovery of muscle strength and pain threshold, and modulated the systemic CK response. These preliminary findings support acupuncture as a promising multi-target recovery modality, warranting further investigation in larger-scale trials.