Massages Speeds Recovery
December 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Several athletes believe that massage improves recovery, stops soreness, boosts muscle blood flow, and speeds up the healing process. In many countries, a massage is a vital part of the restoration process following exercise (with the exception of America). There is good evidence that massage boosts blow flow, endorses relaxation, decreases the risk of getting hurt, speeds the healing process from injury, or improves performance.
Swedish massages promotes recovery
An Ohio State University study on rabbits, led by Thomas Best, discovered that thirty minutes of compressive force simulating a Swedish massage endorsed recovery in the tibialis anterior muscle (shin muscle) and decreased white blood cell response following extreme eccentric contractions (lengthening contractions; negatives). They suggested that muscles damaged from exercise respond in a good way to compressive stroking. However, we still need more research to found out if the results apply to human beings.
(Medicine Science Sports Exercise, 40: 1289-96, 2008; Science Daily, August 26,2008)
