Acute and Delayed Recovery Effects of Percussive and Ice Therapies on Shoulder Strength and Sensorimotor Function After Baseball Pitching

Abstract – Huang, T-H, Liu, C, Fuchs, PX, and Shiang, T-Y. Acute and delayed recovery effects of percussive and ice therapies on shoulder strength and sensorimotor function after baseball pitching. J Strength Cond Res 40(10): e1064–e1072, 2026—This study compared the recovery effects of percussive massage and icing on shoulder strength and sensorimotor function after pitching-induced fatigue. Sixteen collegiate baseball pitchers participated in a within-subject design, sequentially completing 2 recovery treatments: 10-minute percussive massage and 15-minute icing (15°C) applied to the dominant shoulder after a simulated 5-inning game (75 pitches). Perceived soreness was documented in addition to internal and external shoulder rotation strength and joint position sense at Prepitching, Postpitching, Post-treatment, and 48 hours Post-treatment (Post48-treatment). Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed treatment-time interactions on external shoulder torque at 120°/s and 300°·s⁻¹ (p = 0.02 and 0.03; ηp² = 0.23 and 0.20), joint position sense (p < 0.01, ηp² = 0.41), and perceived soreness (p = 0.01, ηp² = 0.25). Icing increased peak torque at 120 and 300°·s⁻¹ at Post48-treatment (43.8 ± 11.4, 41.7 ± 10.7 N·m) compared with Post-treatment (36.1 ± 8.9, 35.3 ± 6.8 N·m) and Postpitching (34.1 ± 7.4, 33.3 ± 6.8 N·m) and reduced soreness at Post-treatment (3.6 ± 1.4) and Post48-treatment (4.5 ± 1.2) compared with Postpitching (5.3 ± 1.3)—unlike percussive massage. Both treatments improved joint position sense immediately, with smaller errors favoring icing (4.0 ± 2.8°) over percussive massage (7.4 ± 2.6°) at Post48-treatment. These findings suggested superior benefits of icing for restoring shoulder strength and proprioception, likely due to its ability to reduce inflammation and facilitate neuromuscular recovery. While percussive massage immediately improved sensorimotor performance, it appeared less effective for prolonged recovery than icing. Strength and conditioning professionals may prioritize icing after pitching to manage muscle fatigue and soreness.