This clinical trial investigates the effectiveness of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) in accelerating recovery following induced fatigue in female football players. The study integrates objective performance measurements using linear encoders with anthropometric assessments and psychophysiological evaluations. It aims to quantify the impact of MLD on neuromuscular recovery, muscle edema, and perceived fatigue, considering sex-specific physiological factors and the influence of sleep and psychological stress. The findings will contribute to developing non-invasive, individualized recovery strategies to enhance performance and reduce injury risk in women's football.

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) as a recovery strategy following induced fatigue in female football players. The intervention is applied immediately after a standardized fatigue protocol using a linear encoder to objectively measure performance decline. The study adopts a multidimensional approach, integrating biomechanical, physiological, and psychometric variables to evaluate recovery.

Participants will undergo three experimental sessions involving a fatigue protocol followed by either MLD or control conditions. Performance will be assessed through guided machine squats, measuring the number of repetitions and time until a 20% velocity loss. Thigh circumference will be measured pre- and post-intervention to monitor fluid shifts and potential edema. Subjective recovery perception will be recorded, and emotional state will be evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Sleep quality will be assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to explore its influence on fatigue and recovery response.

This trial addresses the need for non-invasive, efficient recovery strategies tailored to female athletes, considering sex-specific physiological and psychological factors. The findings may contribute to optimizing post-exercise recovery protocols and reducing injury risk in women's football.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female athletes actively participating in 11-a-side football, either federated or official team members.
• Age ≥ 16 years to 20 years old.
• Regular training (≥ 3 sessions per week) or active competition
• No food intake within 3 hours prior to evaluation (to standardize the influence of digestion on performance).
• No acute lower limb injury in the past 3 months.
• Availability to attend all three study visits.
• Signed informed consent; for participants under 18, parental consent is also required.

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of deep vein thrombosis
• Decompensated heart failure
• Active lower limb infection
• Pregnancy
• Recent lower limb surgery (< 3 months), or any medical contraindication to receiving manual lymphatic drainage (MLD).
• Failure to comply with the fasting requirement prior to performance testing.

What IPD Will Be Shared:

De-identified individual participant data (IPD) related to primary and secondary outcome measures, including performance metrics (e.g., number of repetitions, velocity profiles), anthropometric data (e.g., thigh circumference), and questionnaire responses (e.g., Borg scale, VAS, PRS, PSQI, HADS).

When Will IPD Be Available:

IPD will be made available upon publication of the main results or within 12 months after study completion.

How Will IPD Be Shared:

Data will be shared upon reasonable request to the principal investigator. Access will be granted for academic and non-commercial research purposes, following approval by the ethics committee and under a data-sharing agreement to ensure confidentiality and compliance with GDPR.

With Whom:

Qualified researchers affiliated with academic institutions or research organizations.

One of the members of the research team that will carry out the data analysis is not aware of the intervention that will be performed