NCT06982937

Mechanistic Drivers of Acute PAPE Responsiveness: Muscle Architecture, Contractile Kinetics, and Excitability in a Randomized Controlled Trial

Completed NA Results posted Last updated 16 December 2025

What this trial tests

NA trial testing High-Intensity Half-Squat in Neuromuscular Function in 44 participants. Completed in 25 July 2025.

Timeline

2 February 2025

Primary endpoint
25 June 2025

25 July 2025

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	triple
Primary purpose	basic science
Enrollment	44
Start date	2 February 2025
Primary completion	25 June 2025
Estimated completion	25 July 2025
Sites	1 location across Poland

Drugs / interventions tested

• High-Intensity Half-Squat
• Treadmill running

Conditions studied

• Neuromuscular Function — all drugs for Neuromuscular Function →
• Muscle Activation — all drugs for Muscle Activation →
• Postactivation Potentiation — all drugs for Postactivation Potentiation →
• Ultrasonography — all drugs for Ultrasonography →

Sponsor

The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice

Who can join

Adults 18 to 23, male only, with Neuromuscular Function or Muscle Activation. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.

Jump Height 4 Minute Primary · 4 minutes post-intervention

Group	Value	95% CI
High-Intensity Half-Squat	45.34	± 5.28
Treadmill Running	47.41	± 5.13

Jump Height 6 Minute Primary · 6 minutes post-intervention

Group	Value	95% CI
High-Intensity Half-Squat	48.01	± 5.13
Treadmill Running	47.41	± 3.92

Jump Height 8 Minute Primary · 8 minutes post-intervention

Group	Value	95% CI
High-Intensity Half-Squat	47.08	± 5.31
Treadmill Running	48.10	± 4.60

Jump Height 10 Minute Primary · 10 minutes post-intervention

Group	Value	95% CI
High-Intensity Half-Squat	46.17	± 5.17
Treadmill Running	47.59	± 3.90

Jump Height 12 Minute Primary · 12 minute post-intervention

Group	Value	95% CI
High-Intensity Half-Squat	45.27	± 5.14
Treadmill Running	47.91	± 4.27

Muscle Thickness Post Primary · Immediate post-intervention

Group	Value	95% CI
High-Intensity Half-Squat	2.95	± 0.37
Treadmill Running	2.63	± 0.33

Muscle Thickness 4 Minute Primary · 4 minute post-intervention (single session)

Group	Value	95% CI
High-Intensity Half-Squat	2.92	± 0.35
Treadmill Running	2.58	± 0.33

Muscle Thickness 6 Minute Primary · 6 minutes post-intervention

Group	Value	95% CI
High-Intensity Half-Squat	2.83	± 0.37
Treadmill Running	2.58	± 0.30

Muscle Thickness 8 Minute Primary · 8 minutes post-intervention

Group	Value	95% CI
High-Intensity Half-Squat	2.70	± 0.36
Treadmill Running	2.53	± 0.32

Muscle Thickness 10 Minute Primary · 10 minutes post-intervention

Group	Value	95% CI
High-Intensity Half-Squat	2.66	± 0.35
Treadmill Running	2.60	± 0.39

Muscle Thickness 12 Minute Primary · 12 minutes post-intervention

Group	Value	95% CI
High-Intensity Half-Squat	2.57	± 0.44
Treadmill Running	2.55	± 0.38

Pennation Angle Post Primary · Immediate post-intervention

Group	Value	95% CI
High-Intensity Half-Squat	17.83	± 2.49
Treadmill Running	13.84	± 1.98

Sponsor's own description

The goal of this study is to find out if one short set of heavy half-squats can help football players jump higher right away-and to understand what happens inside their muscles and nerves to make that boost happen.

Key questions

* Will performing 2-3 half-squats at 90% of one-rep max give a bigger jump boost than jogging on a treadmill for five minutes?
* After each warm-up, how do muscle speed and stiffness, muscle size and fiber angle, and nerve signals change over the next 12 minutes?
* Does each player's contribution of fast and slow muscle fibers affect how much and how long their jump improves?

Study Plan Researches will invite 44 healthy football players, ages 18-21, who train regularly and meet our health rules. No one will know which warm-up each player does until the end.

Participants will:

* Get baseline tests of jump height, muscle speed and stiffness (using a harmless electrical sensor), muscle size and fiber angle (using ultrasound), and nerve signals (using sticky pads on the skin).
* Be randomly assigned to either:

1. Heavy-squat group: 2-3 half-squats at 90% of their one-rep max
2. Jogging group: easy jog or walk on a treadmill for five minutes
* Repeat all tests right after the warm-up and again at 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 minutes to see how jump height and all muscle and nerve measures change over time.
* Have their muscle fiber mix estimated from the first muscle-speed test to see if fiber type explains who gets the biggest jump boost.

All tests are safe, painless, and approved by an ethics board. Players can stop at any time without giving a reason. This study will help athletes and coaches choose the best warm-up to get stronger, faster jumps right before a game or practice.

Publications & conference data

No peer-reviewed publications indexed yet for this trial. Completed trials usually publish results within 12-18 months.