Looking for Relief from the Pain of Muscle Fever?

Fatigue, muscle damage, and inflammation getting you down after your physical exercise? According to a recent publication by Laboratoire MOVE, Faculty of Sport Sciences they concluded that massage is the most effective method for reducing markers of muscle fatigue and delay-onset muscle soreness.

What is DOMS?
Delay-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a distinct pain you may experience after an intense workout or an unfamiliar exercise, that often will peak as long as a day or two later, and may continue for as long as 24-72 hours. It’s annoying cramping caused by myofibril tears and is biologically puzzling, as the pain can often spread around other painful problem areas, making diagnosis somewhat tricky.

Recovery from DOMS.
Recovery can take several days to disappear without treatment while being very uncomfortable affecting your daily activities. Quick-relief could be vital to recovering, and using massage is a great way to relax those muscles and regain flexibility. Since the time of the Greeks and Romans, athletes have relied on massage as a way to relieve pain and stiffness. Roman physician Galen, prescribed massage for the gladiators before and after exercise as far back as 30 AD. Until the completion of this study, there was no conclusive scientific evidence of the benefits. Now, the US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health concluded that massage was effective in alleviating DOMS symptoms by up to 30% and reducing swelling.

Other benefits of post-workout.
Next time you hit one of those endurance workouts, you may want to follow it up with a quick massage. Dr. Tarnopolsky, a researcher at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada has discovered that there is substantial evidence that massage is a benefit after you’ve undergone strenuous exercise.

It just feels good.
Many people enjoy a massage because it feels good. Use massage as a little reward after a hard workout, to motivate you to do it again. Treating yourself to a massage after your workout will put you in a relaxed state of mind. This relaxation helps improve the quality of your sleep, and a good night of sleep prevents fatigue; giving the extra energy you need for another day of physical activity.

An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. NCBI