Massage Therapy

Research has shown that in relation to exercise and athletic participation massage therapy can:

  • Reduce muscle tension
  • Help athletes monitor muscle tone
  • Promote relaxation
  • Reduce muscle hypertonicity
  • Increase range of motion
  • Improve soft tissue function
  • Support recovery from the transient immunosuppression state
  • Support the recovery of heart rate variability and diastolic blood pressure after high-intensity exercise
  • Decrease muscle stiffness and fatigue after exercise
  • Improve exercise performance
  • Decrease delayed onset muscle soreness
  • Be the most efficient intervention for maintaining maximal performance time in subsequent exercise tests when combined with active recovery from maximal exercise
  • Reduce serum creatine kinase post exercise
  • Reduce swelling
  • Reduce breathing pattern disorder
  • Enhance athletic performance
  • May help prevent injuries when massage is received regularly
  • Individuals who participate in exercise and athletic programs who seek enhanced performance, improved conditioning, faster recovery, injury prevention, and assistance in maintaining peek fitness can benefit from massage therapy given by professional massage therapists working within their scope of practice.

Adapted from: amtamassage.org