The Science Behind Massage Benefiting Athletes

By Author: Stpierre Massage
Total Articles: 3
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Massage therapists and regular clients of massage have long known that massage relieves muscle pain. But, what about the rest of us weekend athletes who have doubted its benefits beyond feeling relaxed?

Massage therapy is commonly used during skeletal muscle rehabilitation to lessen pain and advance recovery from injury. Although there is evidence that massage may relieve injured muscle pain; the question remained as to how massage affects cellular function.

In 2012, a study was conducted at the McMasters University in Ontario, Canada. Subjects were needed to exercise to exhaustion and then allow small incisions to both legs to extract the damaged muscle tissues. Amazingly 11 active young men volunteered to ride stationary bicycles for 70 minutes. Afterwards, one of their legs was massaged for ten minutes and the other leg was left untouched. In both legs, their quad muscles were biopsied to gather samples for the massaged and the non-massaged legs. A second biopsy was repeated after a 2 1/2-hour resting period.

What the researchers found was interesting – in the massaged legs, there were reduced signs ...
... of inflammation as well as an increase in the production of mitochondria which are the powerhouses of the cells responsible for energy production. Researchers reflect that by increasing mitochondria, also aids in muscle recovery.

After vigorous exercise there are tiny tears in the muscles that need to be repaired. Inflammation occurs from injured cells as well as white blood cells rushing to the injured site. Rigorous massage by a trained therapist not only relaxes the muscles but increases mitochondria to enhance muscle recovery by reducing damage to muscle fibers and thusly, to reduce inflammation.

While, yes, the study was limited to 11 young active men, for this particular study published in Science Transnational Medicine, results revealed that therapeutic massage limits inflammation and promotes healing to injured tissue. The results which are deemed as important have also been published in the New York Times.

People might think they can pop an aspirin or NSAID, and although that may ease some of the pain, it doesn’t reduce damage to the muscle fibers nor does it generate new mitochondria healing cells.

Clinicians offering massage recommend therapeutic deep tissue massage which is specifically intended weekend athletes and active clients who get regular massages and require advanced deep massage techniques.

You have always known that massage feels good and your bodies respond in a constructive way. Now it’s known that massage limits inflammation while promoting the rapid healing of injured tissue.

Author:

Michelle Perotti-Kline is the Spa Director and proprietor of StPierreMassage.com in Napa California serving tourists who visit Napa Valley and local athletes from Napa and Northern California for Spa Vacation Napa and Massage Therapy Napa.