Waterloo Sports Medicine, Waterloo , Ontario, Canada.
Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo , Ontario, Canada.
J Sports Sci Med. 2004 Nov 1;3(YISI 1):37-43. eCollection 2004 Nov.
Massage therapy is commonly used following endurance running races with the expectation that it will enhance post-run recovery of muscle function and reduce soreness. A limited number of studies have reported little or no influence of massage therapy on post-exercise muscle recovery. However, no studies have been conducted in a field setting to assess the potential for massage to influence muscle recovery following an actual endurance running race. To evaluate the potential for repeated massage therapy interventions to influence recovery of quadriceps and hamstring muscle soreness, recovery of quadriceps and hamstring muscle strength and reduction of upper leg muscle swelling over a two week recovery period following an actual road running race. Twelve adult recreational runners (8 male, 4 female) completed a half marathon (21.1 km) road race. On days 1,4, 8, and 11 post-race, subjects received 30 minutes of standardized massage therapy performed by a registered massage therapist on a randomly assigned massage treatment leg, while the other (control) leg received no massage treatment. Two days prior to the race (baseline) and preceding the treatments on post-race days 1, 4, 8, and 11 the following measures were conducted on each of the massage and control legs: strength of quadriceps and hamstring muscles, leg swelling, and soreness perception. At day 1, post-race quadriceps peak torque was significantly reduced (p < 0.05), and soreness and leg circumference significantly elevated (p < 0.05) relative to pre-race values with no difference between legs. This suggested that exercise-induced muscle disruption did occur. Comparing the rate of return to baseline measures between the massaged and control legs, revealed no significant differences (p > 0.05). All measures had returned to baseline at day 11. Massage did not affect the recovery of muscles in terms of physiological measures of strength, swelling, or soreness. However, questionnaires revealed that 7 of the 12 participants perceived that the massaged leg felt better upon recovery. Key PointsMassage does not appear to affect physiological indices of muscle recovery post exercise.Massage does appear to positively influence perceptions of recovery.More research needs to be completed on the purported benefits of massage.
按摩疗法常用于耐力跑赛后，期望它能促进运动后肌肉功能的恢复，并减轻酸痛感。一些研究报告称，按摩疗法对运动后肌肉恢复几乎没有影响或没有影响。然而，在实地环境中，还没有研究评估按摩对实际耐力跑赛后肌肉恢复的潜在影响。为了评估重复按摩疗法干预对股四头肌和腿筋肌肉酸痛恢复、股四头肌和腿筋肌肉力量恢复以及在实际路跑赛后两周恢复期内大腿肌肉肿胀的影响。12 名成年休闲跑步者（8 名男性，4 名女性）完成了半程马拉松（21.1 公里）公路赛。赛后第 1、4、8 和 11 天，受试者接受了 30 分钟的标准化按摩疗法，由注册按摩治疗师对随机分配的按摩治疗腿进行按摩，而另一条（对照）腿则不接受按摩治疗。在比赛前两天（基线）和赛后第 1、4、8 和 11 天的治疗前，对每条按摩和对照腿进行了以下测量：股四头肌和腿筋肌肉力量、腿部肿胀和酸痛感知。在第 1 天，赛后股四头肌峰值扭矩明显降低（p<0.05），酸痛感和腿部周长明显升高（p<0.05），与赛前相比无差异。这表明运动引起的肌肉损伤确实发生了。比较按摩和对照腿之间恢复到基线测量值的速度，发现无显著差异（p>0.05）。所有指标在第 11 天均恢复到基线。按摩在肌肉力量、肿胀或酸痛等生理测量方面对肌肉恢复没有影响。然而，问卷调查显示，12 名参与者中有 7 人认为按摩后的腿部感觉更好。关键点按摩似乎不会影响运动后肌肉恢复的生理指标。按摩似乎对恢复的感知有积极影响。需要更多的研究来完成对按摩所谓益处的研究。
