Dose-dependency of massage-like compressive loading on recovery of active muscle properties following eccentric exercise
British Journal of Sports Medicine Share
Muscle soreness and weakness accompany intense or prolonged physical activity, particularly eccentric exercise with symptoms typically peaking 48 h post exercise and lasting for up to one week resulting in reduction of physical activity and time away from sport. Although there is interest in adaptive properties of skeletal muscle following EEX in humans, studies have focused on attenuation of muscle soreness and symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness. Massage is a popular complementary and alternative medicine that is being increasingly used by general public and athletes. Up to 45 percent of time in physiotherapy for sport-related injury and performance consists of massage treatments. Despite the frequency of massage use by athletes and self-reported positive effects, there is a paucity of sound evidence for efficacy of this therapy to mitigate muscle pain and weakness associated with exercise. More
