McDermott, JJ, DL Char, C Goya, M Whitehurst, JT Lightfoot. Effects of massage on delayed onset muscle soreness. American College of Sports Medicine, Dallas, TX. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 24(5) Supplement: S37, 1992.
Empirical basis for massage effecting delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is not available. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether massage prevented or alleviated DOMS. Fifteen subjects (5 m, 10 f) came to the laboratory 9 times. At visits 1, 4, and 7, (similar except for treatment) the subjects stepped concentrically (50 cm) with right leg and eccentrically with left leg at 16 steps/min until fatigue. Prior to stepping, blood samples (creatine kinase-CK) and leg volumes (LV) were obtained. LV and subjective ratings of muscle sorness were measured immediately post treatment. 24 hrs (visits 2,5 and 8) and 48 hrs (visits 3,6, and 9) post stepping, blood samples,LV, and soreness ratings were repeated. The treatments (random order) were one of the following: no treatment prior to step (control -CON); static stretching (STR); or petrassage massage (MASS) for 20 mins. MASS was repeated 24 hrs after the step test. Analysis of the data showed a trend toward an order effect (p=0.06) in soreness rating even though step duration did not change. The data were reanalyzed for visits 1,2, and 3. Two subjects were added (1 m, 1 f) to balance the treatments (CON, n=7; STR, n=5; MASS, n=5). CK levels increased over time, but there was no difference between the treatments (p=0.76). The concentrically worked leg showed no differences between treatments in DOMS at any time. In the eccentrically worked leg, at 24 hrs post step test, the STR and MASS treated legs had significantly less soreness than the CON leg. Furthermore, at 48 hrs, the MASS treated leg had significantly less soreness than either the CON or STR leg. LV were not altered by contraction nor by treatment. No difference in soreness with STR and MASS 24 hrs post suggests a psycological effect between MASS and DOMS. However, alleviation of DOMS at 48 hrs postexercise with the application of MASS may be attributable to physiological factors.
Supported in part by American Heart Association 90GIA/649.