Earlier this year, Canadian researchers found that massages alleviate pain of impaired muscles. It works by sending anti-inflammation messages to the respective muscle cells.
Several scientists from McMaster University in Hamilton can prove that massage dampens muscle pain at a cellular level, which is parallel to the use of anti-inflammatory pills.
The results derive from a study of 11 men who had to undergo quadriceps massage treatment versus no massage treatment. Before and after exercises of approximately two and a half hour the men were tested.
On top of the above findings and according to Tarnopolsky the generation of new mitochondria improved due to targeted massages that in turn released anti-inflammatory signals. It can therefore be explained as to why athletes experience fast recovery with injured muscles.
One last interesting finding is that there was no prove that massages helped clearing the so-called lactic acid from exhausted muscles. The massage therapy was randomly performed on either the left or right leg, only the massage therapist knew which leg was selected and no clear results could indicate actual improvement.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/